Keeping Scarlett
by LadyBJKD
Summary: Scarlett and Spencer move in together... learning more about each other in the process... but will Scarlett ever be able to overcome her shattered past? Can Reid's love possibly be strong enough to help put her back together? *Third in Scarlett series* Please leave reviews! Special Thanks to CatGurl- and all my undying love for her help!
1. Chapter 1

**Hello Readers!** I hope you all enjoy the continuing series of Scarlett and Spencer in these upcoming chapters, as much as I loved writing them! I've fallen in love with the stories... I hope you all have too! _(REF: Remembering Scarlett and Knowing Scarlett are directly tied into Keeping Scarlett.)_

I hope everyone leaves reviews, follows and faves my stories- I love to hear from you all, you have no idea how much it truly means to me. Writing is a serious joy for me, so when I hear you all like it, it thrills me! ;-) Please share!

OH! And I'm always looking for new music to listen to while writing (hence Scarlett's addiction to lyrics!) If anyone wants to share an idea of a song that may help me set a scene, I'd be happy to hear your suggestions, and to mention you in a credit!

Everyone is welcome to also follow me on Twitter LadyBJKD

My unending thanks to CatGurl, as always for proofreading and suggestions on the stories! Love you Girl! xxoo

Here we go! Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter 1<p>

Scarlett stepped out of the cab as Spencer opened the door for her and reached for her hand. She waited as he paid the driver and lifted one of her bags to her shoulder.

"I'll get that, Katy..." he told her as he took the luggage from her. She smiled and shook her head.

"Seriously, Reid, I can carry my own bags," she quipped and followed him into the vestibule of their building.

"Hush," he told her as he held the door for her. Scarlett rolled her eyes.

"Fine..." she laughed as she moved over to the wall and pulled out her keys, taking her mail out of her box. She looked over to where Spencer was standing on the staircase, watching her.

"Should I grab yours too?" she asked, rattling her key ring.

"Later..." he said with a lopsided grin. "Come on, I want to show you something..."

Scarlett shook her head. "What is up with you, farm boy?" she laughed. "You've been acting strangely the entire train ride home..." she told him as she followed him up the stairs and to his door.

"Spill it..." she ordered as she nudged him aside, making way to open the door.

"Wait a minute, crazy girl," he stopped her, dropping the bags at her feet. She looked up at him through her lashes as he reached up to the ledge of the transom window above his door and pulled down a remote.

"What on earth are you up to Spencer Reid?" she asked, turning slightly towards the door when she heard music playing.

"It's a surprise," he told her, reaching around her and covering her eyes with his hand as he unlocked the door.

Scarlett tried to peek through his fingers but couldn't see anything.

"I thought the whole weekend trip to New York was the surprise, pretty boy..." she told him as she let him lead her from the hallway.

"Well, that was part of it..." he said quietly. Leaning forward a bit, he pressed his lips to her temple. "This is the real surprise..."

Spencer moved his hand away from her eyes and stepped back as Scarlett looked around the room.

Scarlett felt her breath catch in her throat as she noticed the changes to his apartment. _Their_ apartment, she mentally corrected herself, as she moved around the room and saw all of her belongings now placed throughout the area. Her bookshelves stood on the one wall, alongside her stereo system that was tuned to Philip Phillips song "Home" and was softly filling her ears. She could see her entertainment system set up in the corner and some of her pictures now hung on the walls.

Spencer watched her gaze travel to her items scattered amongst his. He shifted nervously, stepping towards the couch, leaning against it as she continued to look around silently. He pressed his lips together tightly, trying to read her thoughts from the look on her face.

When she continued to stand there without a word, his nerves got the better of him and he cleared his throat.

"If anything is not how you wanted it, Katy, you can change it... Whatever we had doubles of is still upstairs, so if you'd rather change something out..." he stopped rambling abruptly when she tilted her head to look at him, and his brain shut down by the look in her eyes.

He watched her cross the room in short strides, moving right up onto the couch to stand eye level with him. When she wrapped her hands into his hair and tugged him forward into her kiss, he felt relief wash over him.

Pressing herself against him tightly, Scarlett kissed his lips fervently, pulling him closer still. She felt him shift as his arms moved around her and he pulled her up against his chest.

"Jesus, Scarlett... I thought you were getting pissed," he sighed, letting out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Reid pulled back a bit to try to focus in on her face.

Her green eyes peered up into his with a devilish glint. Spencer braced himself as she wrapped a leg over his hip and dragged him backwards onto the couch on top of her.

"Crazy girl..." he muttered, shaking his head as she planted light kisses over his face. "A little warning..." he teased, shifting slightly, adjusting his body to not have his full weight on her.

"I can't believe you did this," she stated softly, her words sounding awed. Tipping her head to the side, she looked around the room. "You planned this..." she said, meeting his eyes once again.

"I didn't want you to stress out about moving," he told her honestly. "So I hired movers, and Morgan and Garcia helped..."

"I can't believe this," she grinned, pulling him down on top of her again. "I can't believe you pulled this off. I really don't have to do _anything_?" she asked.

Spencer shrugged as he tried to take his weight off of her. She shifted with him and he smiled.

"I'm trying not to squash you Katy Scarlett," he told her, lightly nuzzling her neck. She laughed throatily as his beard scratched the sensitive skin there and he felt his heart bump in his chest. "Scarlett..."

"You can't possibly squash me, Spence," she told him with a smile. "I love your weight on top of me..." she arched her hips up into his until he lowered himself back on top of her. She could feel the pressure of his need against her hip.

"So, everything is done?" she asked again, her voice taking on a husky quality. She trailed her fingers lightly down his jaw, bringing his eyes back to hers.

"Only a few boxes that I wasn't sure where you wanted things..." he answered. "And your altar... I didn't want anyone messing with it- I figured you'd set that up where and how you wanted it... anything you might want to change around, it's up to you, Katy-bird," he told her, his own voice deepening as she rocked against him.

Scarlett closed her eyes a minute to appreciate that small fact. His total acceptance...

"Mmm-hmm," she grinned slightly and drew him down for a kiss. "So even the bedroom is ready?" she asked as she bit at his throat.

Spencer groaned as she nipped lightly over his collarbone. "Yes, of course..." and he heard her laugh.

"Ohhh," he said, catching on to her line of thought. "You want me to take you in the bed room?" he asked, tilting his head a bit to give her better access to his ear. He felt his body tighten as she flicked her tongue over the lobe. A chill skittered up his spine as her breath crossed his skin.

"Yes, farm boy, I want you to take me to _our_ bed..." she whispered. "In _our_ bedroom, in _our_ apartment... I want to christen it..." she squealed in laughter as he scooped her up off the couch and carried her into the bedroom in quick strides.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Scarlett looked around the room as she sat in the middle of the bed. Spencer had gone back out to grab their bags which he'd left in the hallway, so she took advantage of the time to see what had been done.

Just as in the other rooms, her things had been set up amongst his belongings, as if they had always been there. She sighed and shook her head, amazed at the length this man would go for her.

When he came back into the room, she moved to his side, taking the bags from him and setting them aside.

"Later..." she told him, tugging his hand to follow her back to the bed.

When Scarlett pushed him backwards onto the mattress and climbed on top of him, Spencer felt a heat spread over him, blocking any coherent thought from his mind.

"Scarlett..." he warned lightly as a groan reached his throat. "Slow down, crazy girl..."

Her face came into his view, and he saw a wicked grin light her features.

"We've kept it slowed down for over a week now Reid..." she teased, kissing his lips roughly as she pulled his shirt out of his pants. "It's my way now..."

She unbuttoned his shirt, pulling it off him and tossing it from the bed. A strangled sound escaped his throat as she ran her tongue over his chest and nipples.

"Scarlett," he huffed out, reversing their positions and pinning her under him. "If you don't slow down, I'm not going to last..." he told her, nudging her back against the pillows. When she moved her hand down the front of his pants and stroked him lightly, he felt his legs go weak as he fell onto her body.

Scarlett continued her teasing torture until she felt him tense against her.

"Who said I wanted you to last, boy?" she argued, pushing him over onto his back again and trailed kisses down to his hips.

She slid the rest of his clothing down and continued to use her mouth to drive him into a heated orgasm.

When Spencer's body responded and he arched back with a groan, she gave him a moment to compose himself before shifting to his side.

He lay there dazed momentarily, staring at the ceiling. When he turned to look at Scarlett, she had a Cheshire cat grin on her face.

"You don't play fair, Katy Scarlett," he mumbled. She nipped at his ribs and he twitched.

"Nope... never claimed that I did..." she teased him.

He grunted slightly and moved over her as he tugged her shorts off her legs.

"Well, I've heard turnabout is fair play..." he teased, tickling the soft skin across her stomach. "I'm all about fair play..." he told her as he pressed a trail of light kisses along her inner thigh.

Scarlett bit her bottom lip and groaned as he continued to light a fire in her core. As he teased and took her just to the edge of that pleasure, she growled lightly and pushed him over onto his back once again.

"Ooof..." he lost his air as she flipped him unexpectedly and moved to straddle his hips. "Jesus, Scarlett... holy crap..." he breathed out. His body bucked against hers under its own volition when she slid down onto him. His forehead smacked against hers.

"Ouch..." they said in unison.

"Shit," Reid muttered and reached up to the red spot forming on her head. "You okay?" he ground out as she arched against him again.

Scarlett huffed and opened her eyes to catch his concerned gaze. "I'm fine," she told him, as she leaned forward again. He saw her eyes darken as a red stain blushed across her neck.

He grabbed her hips as she continued to ride the wave of the orgasm that ripped through her body.

"Holy fuck," he growled, his body curling against hers as her muscles contracted again and pulled him along with her. His breath came out in sharp pants and stutters as he fell back against the mattress and drew her down onto his chest.

Scarlett listened to his heart tattoo out a rhythm that matched her own as she lay against his body.

"Couldn't have said it better myself," she agreed, a giggle escaping her lips. She pressed her ear against his heart and sighed.

"I love you, Spence..." she said quietly as she dropped a kiss over his heart.

"As I love you..." he told her, the words echoing through his chest. He felt her sigh as she snuggled in closer.

Spencer pulled his hands through her hair, spreading the locks out over his chest. Scarlett felt him lift a piece to his lips and kiss it.

"I'm going to make you a braided chain of my hair to wear," she teased him. "Since you like it so much..."

Reid grunted. "I like it attached to you..." he told her, pulling her up so he could see her face. He wrapped some of the strands into his fingers. "It's like playing with fire," he grinned.

"Mmm-hmm," she chuckled, taking an end and trailing it across his nose. He wrinkled his face and she laughed.

"Not much difference from playing with its owner, is it?" she asked.

Spencer smiled and drew her up to his kiss. "Sometimes," he agreed. "You had me worried for a few minutes, when you first saw everything and weren't making any comments..." he shrugged.

Scarlett leaned up on her elbow to peer down into his face. "You were worried? I was just simply speechless, farm boy... I couldn't believe you'd gone through all this trouble just to keep me from being uncomfortable..."

Reid watched her face hovering inches from his own. He reached up and ran a finger down her cheek bone and across her nose. She scrunched up her face and nipped his finger as he drew it over her lips.

"I'd do anything to make you smile, Katy... you need to know that, beautiful girl..."

Scarlett leaned forward and kissed him lightly. "You, Spencer Reid, make me smile just by existing, lover..."

Spencer pulled her down into the crook of his arm, pillowing her head onto his shoulder. "Scarlett... I..."

He stopped speaking as a phone began to ring somewhere in the room. He sighed as he recognized Scarlett's ring tone for Penelope.

"My shorts..." she told him. "It's in the pocket of my shorts..." she turned slightly and rested her chin on his chest. "Ignore it..."

"What if it's..." he said just as his phone started jangling. He groaned.

"...work," he finished his thought as Scarlett moved to grab up her shorts and his pants from the floor at the bottom of the bed. She quickly tossed his phone over to him as she hit the button to answer Garcia.

"Hey girl... this better be important, you're ruining my afterglow..." she answered her phone in a teasing voice.

"_Scarlett_!" Spencer blushed hotly as he opened his phone to read Morgan's text.

"Oh, geez, Katy, TMI..." Penelope' voice echoed back over the speaker. "Now I won't get _that_ image outta my head..." she giggled as she heard Reid groan.

"Hi, pretty boy..." Garcia acknowledged him. "Did you have fun... in New York?" she teased.

"Hi, Pens... and yes..." he answered, a flush still covering his face.

"Okay then my fine feathered friends, I'm glad you all are rested, relaxed and after glow-y, because Hotch wanted me to see if you were available in the next, oh, two hours or so... we caught a case in the boonies of Alaska and its wheels up time..."

"Alaska? Holy crap..." Scarlett groaned. "Please tell me its at least in one of the cities..."

"Nope, air to BFE, no stops in between... that's why yours truly is coming on this one, I need to use my techie super powers to bring them out of the middle ages," Penelope informed them.

"Reid, did Morgan get you yet?" Garcia asked.

"Yeah, I'm texting with him now..."

"Okay... see you guys at the airfield in an hour, then... PG out..." Garcia rattled off and disconnected the call.

Scarlett turned off her phone and tossed it on the bed. "I guess we better pack warm clothes," she joked as she turned to look at Spencer. She noticed the furrow to his brow as he concentrated on some information from her brother.

"The case that bad, farm boy?" she asked, indicating she'd noticed the look of concern on his face. Scarlett came around the bed, moving closer to him. Reid reached over to her and wrapped an arm around her waist.

"No," he said distractedly. "Hold on a second..." he told her as he typed in a response to Derek. When he finished, he closed his phone and held Scarlett tighter.

"Spence... what's going on?" she asked, now worried.

"Katy, just stay calm, okay... it might just be a coincidence, so I want you to stay calm..." he felt Scarlett's arms move around his shoulders.

"Tell me," she said, looking into his eyes.

"Okay, right..." Spencer pulled her down onto his lap.

"You know that Garcia's been tracking any activity from that cell number your mom gave us, right..." Scarlett tensed in his arms and he tightened his grip.

"Yes," she answered tightly. "Rowan's number..."

"Right, well, she got a hit over the weekend. It looks like he tried to call your cell number, Katy..."

"_My_ number? How did he get _my_ number?"

"We don't know... obviously, Penny intercepted it and sent it to a dead line, so he'll think its an out of service number..."

"But... but... Spence..." Scarlett tried to put her thoughts in line but couldn't get the words out.

"Scarlett..." Reid shifted her to his side so he could look into her face. "Scarlett, _breathe_..." he told her, giving her a little shake.

She dragged in a deep breath that sounded strangled. After repeating the process a few more times, she managed to stop herself from hyperventilating.

"You okay, beautiful?" Spencer asked softly, watching her eyes. When she only nodded a response, he waited.

"Yes," she breathed out, shaking a little. "Yes, I'm okay..." she kept her eyes locked to his. Seeing something there, she braced herself.

"There's more," she told him. "I can see it in your eyes, Spencer. There's something else..." she held onto him tighter.

Reid took a deep breath himself before continuing. "It may only be a coincidence," he repeated, rubbing her arms. "I need you to remember that Scarlett..." he watched as she huffed in a shallow breath and nodded.

"The call pinged from a cell tower here in Quantico..."

Scarlett let out the air in a whoosh and the room went dark.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Scarlett... _Scarlett..._"

Reid slid her off his lap and over onto the bed. Her limp form was dead weight in his arms.

"Fuck... Fuck... _Fuck_..." Spencer shook her by the shoulders, watching her eyes track behind closed lids.

"Scarlett!" he took her chin in his hand and patted her face lightly. "Scarlett!" he called her name roughly, his voice begging her to respond.

"Please, Scarlett, please, come back to me... Fight back, crazy girl... I'm here..." his voice caught on a sob as he shook her again.

"God damn it Scarlett, don't let that bastard do this to you... fight back, for fuck's sake! Don't just give in! Don't leave me!" he yelled at her.

Scarlett's eyes flew open and she quickly looked around the room, scrambling back across the bed before she locked onto Spencer's face. She shuddered violently as he grabbed her into his arms.

"It's okay... It's okay, I've got you... no one's going to hurt you," he repeated over and over as he rocked her in his arms. "I won't let anyone hurt you Scarlett... Nobody is going to let him get anywhere near you..."

"Oh my God, Spencer... I heard you..." she cried out, hugging into him tightly. "I heard you... and I remember... I remember what I was seeing," she sobbed against him. "I don't want to remember!" she cried.

"Fuck," Reid breathed out into her hair, swearing at everything that brought her to this point. He held her tightly, wishing fervently that he could take on her pain for her.

"Oh, oh..." Scarlett tried to pull away from him. "No, I'm going to be sick..." she pushed him back and ran into the bathroom.

Spencer jumped up to follow her, not allowing her to slam the door shut. He stood alongside her, holding her hair back as she retched in the toilet. He reached over and turned on the faucet, filling a cup of water for her.

Scarlett took it gratefully, rinsing out her mouth, waiting for the nausea to pass.

"I'm sorr-"

"Don't, Scarlett... Don't apologize..." he told her. He watched her begin to shake and grabbed some towels to wrap her up.

"Scarlett," he pulled her close, sitting in the middle of the bathroom floor with her against his chest.

"Spencer, please, just hold me... I can't, I can't talk right now... I have to think... I have to remember..." she sobbed.

He held her tighter, pressing a kiss to her temple. "Don't go away..." he told her. "Stay with me..."

Scarlett closed her eyes and held onto him, letting his scent and presence fill her. Images ran through her mind, violently bringing back the past that she'd fought so hard to suppress for so many years.

Spencer sat there, rocking her, as she cried, sobs wracking her body. He rubbed his hands over her as she shook, wiped the tears from her cheeks and brushed the hair from her face, feeling helpless as a lifetime of torment came rushing back for her.

After some time, it began to subside, the sobbing changing into hiccoughs as she fought to control her breathing. A few more stuttering breaths passed from her and Spencer handed her some tissues.

"I'm okay," she whispered, moving closer to his chest. "I'm okay..." she repeated.

"Okay..." he said simply, waiting to listen, if she was ready to talk.

Scarlett drew in a deep breath and met his eyes.

"I remember everything..." she whispered. "And I'm scared Spencer... what if he finds me?" She watched as his face contorted in rage.

"You don't need to be afraid Scarlett," he told her quietly. "If he finds us, if he tries to come near you... I will kill him..."

Scarlett heard the truth in his soft voice and felt something inside her cringe.

"No..." she whispered, shaking her head.

Spencer stood up and lifted her to her feet.

"No, Spencer, please... tell me you won't. I won't let you throw your life away... _our_ life away... because of him. I won't let him take that away from us," she looked up at him, her heart in her eyes. "I can't live like this... I hate being afraid... but..."

"Then _don't_..." he snarled. "Don't be afraid! Don't let that bastard win, Scarlett! He can't touch you!" Reid dropped his hands from her and paced away, back into the bedroom.

Scarlett followed him, watching as he strode across the room. When he turned back to her, she watched him struggle to hold himself in check.

"I will not let him touch you, Scarlett. I promise you that! I can't change the past, I can't fix what was done... but by God, I swear to you, he won't ever touch you again..."

Scarlett heard the fury echo in his words. She crossed the room, reaching out to him.

Spencer pulled her up against his body and she wrapped herself against him, pulling his face to hers and kissing him.

Losing what little control he'd been holding, Reid picked her up off her feet, keeping her close, continuing to return her kiss. He felt Scarlett wrap her legs around his waist and he lifted her higher so they were eye level. When he pulled back a bit, he saw her huge green eyes watching him reverently.

"Spence," she swallowed against the tightening in throat. "Promise me, please..." she asked. "Promise me, you won't do it... if it ever comes to that, please..."

Reid closed his eyes tightly, fighting down his anger. Reaching deep, he took solace in the feeling of her arms around him, her breath fanning his neck and her heart beating against his chest.

"Only if you promise me you will trust me to protect you..." he asked huskily.

Scarlett nodded. "I promise, Spence. I trust you with everything... You are my life," she told him. Tugging his hair lightly, she pressed a kiss to his brow and then rubbed her fingers against the lines of tension there.

Reid felt some of the stress relax from his shoulders. "I can't lose you, Scarlett... you're my whole world- I can't..."

"And I don't want to take a chance if you do kill him..." she watched his face and he leaned forward to brush his cheek against hers, "that the justice system wouldn't see things our way, and I'd lose you..."

She felt him huff out a breath of frustration. "I won't let him hurt you Scarlett. I can only promise that I won't go looking for him... I won't start anything..." he told her honestly. "But if it comes to be that he is here, that he is looking for you... I will not let him touch you..." he promised.

Scarlett nodded, biting her lip. "We'll face this together," she told him, hanging on to his neck tightly. "I can handle whatever happens, as long as you are beside me..."

"I'm not going anywhere, crazy girl. I'll stay with you always..." he kissed her cheek and buried his face into the crook of her neck. He felt her sigh as she turned her head, resting her cheek against his hair.

"I love you, Spencer Reid," she said softly.

"I love you too, Scarlett..." he shifted her weight in his arms, moving back over to the bed and set her down. He saw her look over towards the clock on the nightstand. "We don't have to go to Alaska, sweetheart, if you aren't feeling up to it. Hotch would understand..."

"No," Scarlett shook her head. "I need work- I need the distraction... and leaving Virginia right now sounds really good," she told him honestly. "I want to go."

"Okay..." he moved over to the closet and pulled out their go bags. "You're going to want to grab our winter gear, too..." he told her, his gaze traveling out the door. "Everything should be in the hall closet."

Scarlett nodded, grateful for the task. After grabbing the coats, she headed back to the bedroom. When she reached the door, she stopped and watched him. He was bent over their bags, pulling out some items and making room for warmer clothes. A few sweaters and her thermals were already folded on the bed. She smiled softly as he picked up his head, pushing his hair back out of his face. Spencer caught her gaze and felt his heart stutter.

"What are you thinking, beautiful?" he asked, trying to decipher the look on her face.

"Thank you..." she told him. A look of confusion crossed his face.

"For what?"

"For understanding... for not questioning, for not pushing..." she shrugged one shoulder and leaned against the doorjamb. "For just being you, Spencer."

Reid scrunched up his face a bit and looked away for a second, shaking his head.

"You're welcome?" he said with a small laugh. "I don't know how to be anyone else..." he told her with a grin.

Scarlett laughed and carried the coats over to the other clothes, setting them down on the pile.

"Good. I wouldn't want it any other way..." she teased, stepping over to him and leaning down to kiss the top of his head.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Scarlett listened carefully as Hotch explained the case that had them traveling to the remote area of Kodiak, Alaska.

"The city is home to the US Coast Guard Kodiak base, and has a significant tourist travel for its hunting and fishing seasons. We will be setting up our base of operation out of one of their recreational lodges. The Coast Guard has offered their support, along with local police presence."

He turned to Penelope, indicating the laptop before her. "Garcia is traveling with us to keep direct communications with the data bases, since the technologies offered there is limited to say the least..." Penelope raised an eyebrow and snorted.

"More like, non-existent..." she retorted. "We have permission to link into the military base, thank God..."

Aaron nodded in agreement. "The local police have now reported three bodies have been discovered, all with the same m.o.- and they have never had to deal with a serial killer," he told the team, as they each looked at the pictures that had been sent to their tablets.

Spencer scanned through the medical examiner's report.

"All white males, physically fit... mid-thirties..." he turned the tablet a bit, squinting at the screen. "The bodies were found in shallow graves, within feet of each other, so it looks as though the unsub may have a preference to this area as a dumping ground... He may be close enough to revisit."

"The town itself may be too remote to get an accurate geographical profile," Blake interjected.

"The people who live there may also close ranks, refusing to consider one of their own might be responsible," Rossi added.

Hotch nodded. "That's already looking to be a possibility," he stated. "The police had indicated in their request that they were seeking assistance mostly due to the numbers of tourists, which in their opinion are making it difficult to narrow down the perp."

Spencer scowled. "It's more likely that the unsub would be local, considering the dumping ground was, according to the map, in an area well away from any tourist attraction."

Scarlett flipped through her pictures in the file. "The unsub seems to be particularly vicious, too- that kind of rage against the victims indicates a personal connection. The shallow wounds to the bodies seem to be used as a torture rather than hesitation, since they are present on each body. And I counted at least thirty, just from what I could see in the pictures."

"Thirty-two on victim one, thirty-six on vic two, and twenty-seven on number three," Spencer clarified. "We'll have to talk to the medical examiner and see the bodies, the report didn't give an exact count..."

"Agreed..." Hotch stated. "Reid, you and Blake meet up with the doctor, get some clarification on the reports. I don't think he has much experience with this sort of thing. Rossi, JJ and I will meet with the police chief and Morgan and Ryan, you two go out to the dump site, see if you can find anything that may have been overlooked."

"Considering the flight time and the time zone changes, we won't be reaching the town until sometime around two in the morning," Spencer reminded Hotch.

"Right, at first light then..." he said. "We've been offered use of the lodge for accommodations, also, so at least we won't have a commute from operations. We'll meet together in the morning."

Hotch moved to the back of the plane to speak with Rossi.

Spencer watched Scarlett flipping through the tablet on her lap. When he moved to sit beside her, she picked up her head slightly, catching his eyes.

"What's up farm boy?" she asked, sliding her hand into his, pressing three fingers into his palm. She smiled as he quickly returned the gesture.

"Nothing," he shrugged.

"Mmm-hmm, Spencer, you have that 'something's bugging me' look on your face. Spill it," she said, poking him in the ribs.

Reid flinched, laughing as she tickled him.

"Okay, okay! Stop!" he grabbed her hands and looked around quickly to make sure the others weren't watching. Leaning forward, he stole a kiss from her lips.

"I'm just thinking about the sleeping arrangements, once we land," he said with a slight scowl. "I don't sleep without you beside me..." he told her quietly.

"Oh, Spence..." Scarlett took his hand again and gave it a quick squeeze. "That's a simple enough fix. I'll just sneak into your room," she teased with a wink. "I'm pretty stealthy..."

Reid laughed. "Right..."

Garcia chose that moment to drop into the seat across from them. "What are you two kibitzing about?" she asked, grinning.

"Sleeping arrangements," Scarlett answered honestly and Spencer blushed. "What?!" she giggled as his ears turned pink.

"I swear, Scarlett, you have no filter..." he said shaking his head in embarrassment. She moved sideways in her seat, tucked her chin against his shoulder and held his hands tighter.

"Would you prefer it if I curbed my thoughts?" she asked with a sly grin.

Reid shook his head, his hair falling forward into his face. When she reached up to tuck it behind his ear, he kissed her hand.

"No. I love you just the way you are," he told her.

"Okay, you two, knock off the mushy stuff," Penelope teased. "I'm handling the rooms anyway, so..." she winked at Scarlett.

"And?" Scarlett narrowed her eyes at her friend.

"There's only four rooms in the main lodge... I've already booked them up as doubles," she shrugged. "Morgan and Reid, me and you... and Derek sleeps sounder than you Katy-bird, so he doesn't care that I snore..." she stuck her tongue out at her friend.

Scarlett settled back against Reid's shoulder. "Is that okay with you, pretty boy?" she asked.

"Much better than the alternative," he said.

Scarlett laughed. "Which would have been, what?" she asked. "You planting yourself in my doorway again?"

Spencer caught her eyes. "Something like that..." he shrugged.

"No worries," Garcia giggled. "Your fairy god mother took care of everything," she told them.

"Thank you, Pens..." Scarlett looked over at her friend. "I should have known you would."

"Mmm-hmm, you are always underestimating my powers," she laughed. Leaning forward, Garcia tapped her hand on Scarlett's leg.

"So... you didn't mention if you were surprised or not, when you got home today...?" she said in a singsong voice. "Although I'm assuming from the afterglow comment, you liked it?" she teased.

Spencer's face turned crimson and he moved from the seat. "Uh, okay, geez..." he stammered and looked down at Scarlett. "I'm going to grab some coffee..." he scrubbed at his face trying to control the heat he felt crossing it.

Scarlett chuckled and swatted at his butt as he walked past. "Go, farm boy... let us girls gossip..." she teased.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Reid ducked his head, shaking it slightly as he headed back towards the coffee pot. Morgan was already standing in the small room and he caught the red glow that still tinged Reid's ears.

"The girls teasing you pretty boy?" he laughed.

"No... yeah, I guess," he shot a quick look back to where Scarlett and Penelope had moved, putting their heads together talking quietly. He saw Scarlett throw back her head and laugh heartily at something Penelope said.

"Did you get a chance to talk to her about Rowan?" Derek asked, moving further into the little room so they could talk more privately.

"Yeah," Reid answered, lowering his voice. "Before we left..."

Morgan caught the concerned looked that crossed his friend's face. "Did she run?" he asked.

"No... no I didn't let her," Spencer lowered his eyes, pouring two coffees. He looked back at Derek. "I didn't let her run, but she blacked out..."

"Like at Mom's party?" he questioned.

"Yeah, I guess..." he shoved his hair back out of eyes. "Jesus, Derek- it was the scariest five minutes and forty three seconds of my life... I couldn't get her to come out of it..." he gripped his hands against the counter. Morgan saw the frustration and the tension as Reid's knuckles turned white.

"Fuck..." Derek muttered.

"Yeah, pretty much what I said..." Spencer agreed. He huffed in a deep breath before meeting his friend's eyes once more. "When she came out of it, she... uh, she told me she remembered," he steadied his gaze to Morgan's.

"She remembers everything now..." Reid stated in a dark tone.

Morgan leaned back against the wall and scrubbed at his face. "Damn..." he clenched his fists in an effort not to punch the thin wall separating the room.

Spencer looked away quickly, trying to distract himself from wanting to do the same thing. He finished making the coffee and added a tea for Garcia.

"Look, kid... I know this has to be hard for you too," Derek shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I know she needs you..."

"She _has_ me..." Reid bit out a bit more harshly than he'd intended. "What she needs is to be able to sleep at night without worrying that the bastard is trying to hunt her down..." he snarled.

Morgan looked over at him. "Reid..." his voice took on a warning tone.

"No... don't..." Spencer shook his head. "Don't patronize me, Morgan. You can't tell me that the idea hadn't crossed your mind..."

Derek rolled his eyes skyward, crossing his arms over his chest defensively. When he met Reid's gaze, he saw the rage burning in his friend's usually soft eyes.

"What 'idea', kid..." he asked bluntly.

Spencer pressed his lips together tightly. "Never mind..." he snapped, trying to push past Derek.

"Hey, Reid..." he grabbed his arm and held him to the spot. "Don't make me the bad guy in this..."

"I'm not..." he pulled away from Morgan's grip. "I'm not," he repeated, taking a step back. "I didn't mean it to sound like that," he told him.

"Look, Reid- do you really think it would help anything... that it would help _her_... if any one of us went rogue and knocked this piece of shit off the face of this earth?" Morgan spoke quietly, making certain their conversation wasn't overheard.

"You're right... you aren't the only one who ever thought of the idea... I'm not either..." he stepped back when Spencer relaxed a bit, waiting for him to continue.

"John wanted to gut the bastard and let me tell you, he described it in a way that made _my_ skin crawl... so no, you aren't alone in feeling this way... but it won't help her in the least if anyone she cares about is lost to her because of that monster..." Derek waited for his words to sink in.

Reid closed his eyes a moment, trying to focus his mind to something else and failed miserably. The only thing he could picture was Scarlett's haunted eyes as she told him she remembered.

"She pretty much said the same thing..." he ground out, still attempting to tamp down the anger.

"And you know, somewhere under that rage, Reid, you know she's right. She's worked hard to rebuild herself, kid. Her life could have gone so many different ways..." he breathed in a quick breath through his nose, expelling it roughly.

"Hell, you can't possibly think you hold the exclusive rights to seeing this man dead... _I_ was the one who carried her into the fucking hospital..." with that Morgan lost his cool and slammed a fist into the wall, causing the sheeting to crack. He stopped short of hitting it again as Scarlett moved into the way.

"Okay, boys... enough bonding time..." she gave each of them a dark look before raising an eyebrow towards the damage. "Unless you want to destroy any more government property?" she asked, turning to Derek.

"No..." he grimaced slightly. "I think that's done..."

She eyed up Spencer. "And you?"

"I didn't wreck anything..." he defended himself.

"Yeah..." she scowled slightly. "But the look in your eyes tells me you want to..." she nudged between the two of them, grabbed up the coffee and jutted her chin towards the door. "Move it..." she told them.

Reid rolled his eyes and took the other coffee and tea back into the cabin. All eyes were turned towards them as they moved to sit together.

"Thanks," Scarlett muttered to the both of them. "I guess that little scene could be attributed to our conversation this morning?" she caught Reid's glance before he turned his head.

"Yeah, I thought so..." she huffed, looking at both of them. "You two white knights better back off before I kick both of your asses," she told them curtly.

Morgan laughed. "Can I at least be the black knight?" he teased, trying to get Scarlett to smile.

Her lips twitched and Penelope laughed.

"I don't particularly feel like getting my ass kicked," he continued, "Although I'm game if you want to try baby girl," he winked at her.

Scarlett threw him a side-long glance. "Wait 'til we land, big brother... I'll kick your ass back to the lower forty-eight," she quipped.

"You're on," he told her with a grin.

She blew out a breath. "You'll have to wait your turn, though," she narrowed her glance towards Spencer.

Reid's eyes widened. "Really?" he squeaked out. "Scarlett..." he tried to smooth things over, giving her a submissive glance. "I'm not going to fight with you..." he told her.

Scarlett reached over into her carry on, grabbing a lollipop out of the side pocket, in lieu of a cigarette. She tore it open, as she gave him a derisive snort.

"You're right," she shot back at him. "You're not..." she popped the candy in her mouth with an audible click.

Spencer rolled his eyes. "Katy, please..."

She tucked her legs up underneath her, turning to her side to face him, tucking the pop into her cheek. When her eyes met his, he closed his mouth, thinning his lips into a line, abruptly cutting off his own words.

"Please, what, Spence?" she asked.

"I really don't want to argue," he told her softly, pleading with her with his eyes.

"Who said anything about arguing? I'm talking about sparring, farm boy. You think it'll be so easy for anyone to get the jump on me? You think I need so much 'protecting'? Well, then you'll get a first-hand taste of it..." she told him.

Reid watched her face closely, trying to determine if she were bluffing. No tells showed anywhere in her countenance.

"I'm not going to spar, either," he stated mulishly. Scarlett giggled as a pout formed on his lips. She touched his mouth lightly with her forefinger.

"Don't pout, pretty boy. I'll go easy on you..." she included her brother in her gaze. "You didn't break anything and cause a scene," she teased Morgan.

"Bring it, baby girl... I'm waiting..." Derek flexed his biceps.

"When we land... no need to wreck the jet..." she told him sternly.

"We aren't going to have time for this..." Reid interjected.

"We're going to make time," Scarlett told him a bit forcefully. He leaned his head back against the seat and pinched the bridge of his nose. She turned to Penelope.

"Does this lodge have a gym?" she asked her friend.

"I can grab my laptop, check it out, if you like?" she asked, looking from Scarlett to Reid.

"Do it to it, girlfriend..." she responded. "Time for me to school my boys," she gave both of the guys a glare.

Penelope moved back to where she'd left her laptop, passing the others as she grabbed her bag.

"Garcia," Hotch stopped her in the aisle.

"Yes, sir?"

"Is there a problem?" he asked her point blank.

"Um, no, sir..." she looked at JJ quickly. "No problem, um, Scarlett is just wondering if the lodge has a gym... she wants to set up a sparring match, if there's time, once we land..." she nervously shifted her bag in her hands.

Rossi raised his brows. "A sparring match? Burning off some energy?"

"Something like that..."

"With Morgan?" Blake questioned at the same time.

"Um, yeah, and Reid too..." Garcia mumbled.

"Reid...?" JJ laughed. "He's agreed to that?"

Rossi laughed. "He knows she has experience in kick-boxing, right? That she's done some of the MMA circuit?"

"Yeah, I don't think Scarlett's giving either of them the option to back out," Penelope stated dryly. "I think she's wanting to show off..."

Hotch looked over at Dave. "I think we'll have time," he grinned slightly.

"And I think I may want to see this," Rossi chuckled.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Scarlett dropped her bag in the room and began pulling out her gym clothes. She threw a quick look over to where Spencer stood in the doorway.

"Move it, pretty boy," she told him. "Time's wasting..."

Reid's eyes followed her as she changed quickly. "I didn't bring gym clothes," he muttered.

She looked quickly over her shoulder, taking in his khaki's and sneakers.

"You'll have to deal in those then," she told him, pushing past him and moving into the hall, heading towards where Penelope had told them the gym was located.

"Move it Reid!" she called back over her shoulder, not waiting for him to follow.

Spencer sighed and jogged to catch up with her.

"Scarlett, please, you can't be serious..."

"I'm completely serious, farm boy..." she tugged his arm, dragging him into the room.

Mats were already pulled out onto the floor and Morgan stood in the middle of them, warming up. Reid noticed the others standing along the one wall and groaned.

"Spectators?" Scarlett grinned at her brother. "Awesome, I love a crowd..." she stepped up onto the mats, and looked over to where Reid had hung back.

"You are up next, pretty boy..." she teased him. "Pens, don't let him escape," she told Garcia with a feral grin.

"Shit..." Spencer muttered, hunkering over by the opposite wall as Penelope moved closer to the doors.

"This is going to be a slaughter," Blake predicted.

JJ shook her head. "I don't know what those two did to piss her off, but I wouldn't want to be in either of their shoes right now," she told Alex honestly.

Scarlett circled Morgan. "So you boys think I need protection, huh?" she told him darkly, shifting quickly when he swiped out an arm to grab at her.

"Every little girl needs protecting," Derek teased, feinting to her left and managing to grab a hold of her waist this time.

Scarlett arched her back, bringing her legs up to her front and swung them back roughly, catching him in the gut. She heard the air rush from his lungs as he fell forward.

"Sometimes, being 'little' is the advantage," she argued, watching him move back to a standing position.

"And yet all I see is you, yakking away..." he taunted back. "You going to talk me into submission, sis?"

Scarlett moved quickly, catching his legs with hers, bringing him down to the mats once more. This time instead of letting him back up, she knelt a knee to his chest, pushing her forearm into his throat.

"Enough playing..." she ordered. "Fight back..."

Morgan scowled. "You asked for it," he warned her, tossing her backwards off him.

Scarlett didn't let her back hit the mats, instead she flipped, landing on her feet. Facing Morgan again, she started using her legs to land blows to his ribs and arms, backing him from the mats.

Derek felt his feet reach the edge of the matting and stopped short. He grabbed her leg as she threw a particularly vicious roundhouse, and threw her to the floor.

"You okay?" he asked in concern, as she slid a few feet from him onto the hardwood floor. She lifted her head, turning from the floor and ran at him again.

He didn't expect her to sweep low, taking his legs out from under him again. He covered his ribs with his arms as she managed to land a few rabbit punches to his already bruised gut.

"Okay, okay..." he shouted. "I give..."

Scarlett pulled back, stopping herself from making contact again.

"You promise?" she said, watching him closely.

"Promise..." Derek moved to sit up, pushing her off him. He rubbed his bruised ribcage. "I promise," he told her again. "You've still got it, baby girl. I won't doubt you again..." he muttered.

"I never lost it, big brother," she told him snarkily. Scarlett stood up, reaching her hand down to help Morgan to his feet. He looked up at her.

"I think I'll stay here for a minute and collect my breath," he told her with a grin.

"Mmm-hmm..." she smiled at him slightly. "Collect your breath somewhere else, D. I have one more lesson to teach."

Scarlett looked over her shoulder towards where Reid stood leaning against the farthest wall. She crooked her finger towards him. Spencer went white as the blood drained from his face.

"Katy..." Morgan's voice turned on a warning tone.

"No, Derek... his turn..." she moved back across the mat as Spencer moved slowly towards her.

Reid put his hands out in front of his body, palms forward, trying to appease Scarlett. "Katy... come on..." he spoke softly, watching her stalk forward towards him.

"Try to take me down, farm boy..." she warned him.

"No..." he said flatly, dropping his hands to his sides.

"Then defend yourself," she warned him.

"No, I'm not fighting you..." he looked into her eyes. "I can't, Scarlett... Please don't try to make me..." he pleaded softly.

"Reid..." Scarlett growled. "You started this..."

Spencer shook his head. "No... I said I'd protect you, not fight you..." his voice raised slightly, focusing on her.

Morgan stood up behind Scarlett, grabbing her around the shoulders. She grabbed his forearms, readying to fight him again, when she heard his voice at her ear.

"Then protect her, pretty boy..." Morgan challenged. "Show her how you plan to do that..."

Spencer stood straighter, looking from Scarlett's face to Morgan's.

"Come on, boy... protect me..." Scarlett watched as Reid stepped forward slightly, moving closer.

"Are you armed?" he asked Derek, stopping a few feet in front of them. Morgan shook his head.

"Nope, you just got to get me off of her," he told his friend, tightening his grip on Scarlett.

Spencer circled closer and Derek kept moving, keeping Scarlett in between them.

"Am I armed?" he asked softly, a low growl sounding in his throat.

Morgan grinned evilly. "Nope, you both are unarmed... you got back from jogging and he grabbed her..." he told him, finishing the scenario.

Reid looked at Scarlett quickly before he charged at Morgan from the side, his momentum from the tackle throwing them all to the floor. Moving between the two, Spencer slid Scarlett to the side, shoving his forearm against Derek's neck, just has she had done earlier.

Morgan moved to flip him over, but Spencer braced one of his long legs onto the mat, stopping him from rolling. He grabbed his own wrist, pressing more weight against Derek's throat.

Scarlett moved back on the mat, watching the scene in front of her in shock.

"Well, holy hell..." she muttered. Seeing the stunned faces of her friends matching her own, she shook her head.

"Looks like I've got myself a body guard," she sat back on her butt hard, still in shock.

Morgan shifted once more, only to be countered again.

"Say Uncle..." Reid gave his friend a vicious grin. Scarlett giggled at Morgan's look of astonishment.

"Down, Spence," she teased, reaching over to grab Reid's hand as he moved off Derek's chest. "Leave my brother some dignity..." she laughed as Morgan scowled.

"We're going to go again, Reid, when my ribs aren't bruised," he shot back, but a smile lit his features. He dusted himself off as he stood.

"Good job, kid..."

Spencer nodded briefly as he sat down, pulling Scarlett onto his lap. "Can we stop this now?" he asked her, nuzzling her hair.

"Mmm-hmm, more of a lover than a fighter, darling?" she giggled as he tickled her neck.

"Something like that..." he breathed out, feathering her skin with light kisses.

Morgan and the rest of the team headed out of the gym.

"Don't forget, first light..." Hotch stopped as he passed where they were sitting on the floor.

"Right," Spencer nodded.

"Agent Thomas really worked out well with your hand to hand, Reid," he smiled, letting the secret out.

Scarlett arched a brow. "You've been training?"

Spencer blushed. "A little... It's easier with Thomas, because he's breaking it into physics..." he answered honestly.

"Physics?" Scarlett shook her head again. Hotch laughed.

"See you two in the morning," he chuckled as he left the room.

Scarlett looked up at Spencer. "When have you been training?" she asked.

"Whenever I could... usually when you all are still doing paperwork," he smirked.

Reid leaned over her shoulder, kissing her cheek. He brushed another to her ear as he moved to stand.

"I told you, Katy... I'll always protect you..." he whispered softly, pulling her up against his chest. Scarlett pressed her hand against his heart.

"I never doubted that, Spencer..." she told him. "Not for an instant..."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Scarlett woke up suddenly, her senses heightened in the pre-dawn hour from being in a strange area. She listened carefully, wondering what it was that had her wide awake after so little sleep. A soft noise reached her ears, bringing her head around to look over at Spencer.

He twitched in his sleep, which wasn't unusual for him, but she noticed his face contorting in pain as a sheen of sweat covered him, matting his hair.

"Spence..." Scarlett touched his shoulder, trying to roust him out of the nightmare. When he only responded with a small whimper, she leaned over him giving his arm a quick shake.

"Spencer, come on sweetheart, wake up, you're having a nightmare..."

Reid felt his throat shut as his eyes flew open. Grabbing a hold of Scarlett, he panted quickly, unable to control his breathing.

"Hey, hey..." she crooned softly, wrapping herself around him, "Shh, it's okay baby, it's alright... I've got you. It was just a bad dream..."

She felt him shake against her, his arms linking around her, holding her close. When he tucked his face into her neck, she lowered her mouth to his, breathing softly into his. He dragged in a ragged breath, taking in her scent with it. As his breathing slowed to match hers, he shuddered, moving his hands up to cradle her face. He caught her lips with his, quickly changing the tenor of her ministrations from helpful to heated as he kissed her with desperation. A low sob echoed in his chest as Scarlett returned his kiss.

"I'm right here farm boy," she told him softly as his mouth moved over hers again. "It's okay..." Scarlett tried to pull back a bit to look into his eyes, but his hands continued to hold her face to his.

"Stay," he whispered, moving his lips across hers reverently. "Just... stay..."

"I'm not going anywhere," she told him, nipping his lips lightly.

Spencer moved closer, pushing her back onto the mattress under his weight. When he shifted over her, Scarlett pulled the blankets over them, cocooning them together away from the dawn's rays. She hooked one of her legs behind his, pulling him forward against her.

"Jesus, Scarlett..." he mumbled a bit incoherently. He didn't move, instead he held her tightly, just wanting to feel her near.

Scarlett ran her hands across his back, stroking his skin lightly, to ease the tension from his muscles.

"Do you want to talk about it yet?" she asked as she continued to knead at his shoulders. He shook his head slightly, not moving.

"Not yet," he shuddered, shifting down to nuzzle her throat. "Just... not yet..." he repeated, nipping the cord on the side of her neck. Scarlett's body arched slightly in response.

"Okay farm boy..." she told him as she held him. Spencer lay his weight on her body, keeping her as close as possible. He heard her begin to softly hum a tune in her throat and relaxed against her, listening to the sound. He recognized the Killers "Be Still" and let the music help to draw his mind away from the nightmare.

Reid shuddered once again as the last pieces of the dream moved through his mind.

"I can't lose you Katy," he mumbled against her skin. "I just..."

"You aren't going to lose me, Spence... It was just a dream, I'm here. It's okay," she reassured him, pressing a kiss to his brow.

"It wasn't just a dream, Scarlett... It was, I saw..." he choked slightly on a sob and buried his face in her neck. "It was remembering, I saw Maeve... but then it was you... You had the gun to your head... I can't..."

"Shh... Spencer, it's okay baby..." Scarlett brushed her fingers through his hair, softly crooning to him. "I'm right here. Everything from today just got caught in your subconscious and it came out in the only way it could. It probably didn't help that Morgan had me in a head lock either... seeing that probably triggered something in your mind..." she reminded him.

Reid stuttered out a breath and nodded. "Maybe... I don't know. I can't put it together yet," he told her.

"Then don't think about it farm boy..." Scarlett nudged him slightly, shifting towards him so she could kiss his lips.

"Let's just not think about anything for a little while, okay?" she smiled softly and kissed him again.

"Right... okay," Spencer drew her body over his, relaxing under the comfort of her weight on top of him. "No thinking," he said, returning her kiss.

"I don't want to think, Scarlett..." he told her in a gruff voice. "Make it so I can't think, crazy girl..."

Scarlett gave him a half-grin, and he saw a glint light wickedly through her eyes. He smiled.

"As you wish..." she told him.

Spencer closed his eyes as he felt her hands lightly touching his skin. Scarlett drew a finger from his neck to his navel, watching his muscles twitch under her touch. She smiled and pressed her lips against his heart, moving slightly to the side so she could trace more of his skin.

Reid groaned as he felt his hips buck when she trailed a soft touch across his abdomen. He opened his eyes as he heard her chuckle when his muscles contracted involuntarily.

"That tickles," he told her, his voice becoming thick with need.

She met his eyes with a smile. "I can see that," she teased, moving her fingers across his skin once again. The muscles twitched and he couldn't stop the giggle that escaped his lips. Scarlett laughed.

"Katy, seriously," he snickered and grabbed at her hands.

Scarlett moved away from his grip and tickled his ribs. His laugh made her heart stutter in her chest. When he sat up to pull away from her touch, she scooted behind him, leaning into his back. Kneeling on the bed, she started to knead at the tension at his shoulders. He moaned and arched his neck to the side, allowing her easier access to his knotted muscles.

"Poor baby..." she whispered into his ear. "You're a bundle of stress..." When he leaned back against her, she pushed his hair to the side and dropped a kiss to the base of his neck. She laughed as his hair fell back and tickled her nose.

"I think you need a haircut, baby..." she teased, brushing it back again to expose the sensitive skin under his ear.

"Uh, really?" he stammered, as a chill crept along his skin where she'd placed her lips. Scarlett nipped his ear and he felt her breath rush over his neck. She giggled at his shiver.

"Just a little," she told him, tugging lightly at his long locks. "I need something to run my hands through," she told him, her voice taking on that throaty sound he loved so much.

Spencer leaned against her, relaxing himself into her touch. Looking back over his shoulder, his eyes met hers. Scarlett watched his hazel eyes darken slightly in need.

"I love you, crazy girl..." he told her, turning more fully to grasp her waist, pulling her across his lap.

"As I love you, farm boy..." she responded, taking his face in her hands, stroking his cheekbones. "You are my love and my life, Spencer..." she shifted up onto her knees to kneel on the bed before him. Looking down at him from this angle, she memorized the look on his face, the love in his eyes, and froze the moment for another time.

"Scarlett..." Spencer saw her eyes go slightly unfocused for a moment and he licked his lips nervously.

"Hmm?" she responded distractedly as she watched the blush move across his cheeks in a slight stain. Cocking her head to the side, she grinned.

"Why are you blushing, Spencer?" she asked with a teasing laugh. His face turned redder and he felt his ears burn.

"The way you're looking at me..." he shrugged. "You're driving me crazy..." he answered honestly.

"Mmm. How crazy?" she asked as she nudged him back onto the mattress. She moved to straddle his hips and heard a moan escape his throat.

"Scarlett... we, uh..." Spencer felt his body tighten in response to her arching against him. He huffed out a deep breath and moved his hands to her hips.

"We've got to go meet with the team... soon..." he muttered, trying to be the voice of reason.

"Mmm-hmm," she answered, leaning over him and kissing his lips.

"I need a shower," he told her.

"I think we can conserve water and time then..." she tugged at his hand and led him towards the adjoining bathroom.

Reid scooped her up into his arms and carried her through the door.

"I think you're reading my mind," he teased as he set her back on her feet and reached over to adjust the water.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Scarlett followed the officer ahead of her off the marked trail and deeper into the forest. Morgan moved quietly behind her, scanning the area.

"How far off trail were the bodies found?" he asked.

"About a quarter mile northeast from here. We'd probably never had found them, but some hikers had gotten lost last weekend and we'd had search dogs. The one trainer and dog are also recovery," the young officer explained. "You know, in case we aren't looking for a live find. In this case, the dog alerted to a cadaver... The trainer marked the area and we came out to find this..."

He indicated an area cordoned off by crime scene tape, approximately fifty yards in length. The shallow graves were lined neatly alongside each other, all seemingly innocuous in the quiet woodland floor.

"No other graves were found in the area?" Scarlett asked as she knelt down beside one of the holes and looked up around at the trees.

"No," the officer stated. "We had a full team of trained dogs tear up one side of this area and down the other. Nothing else was found..."

"You think there's more?" he asked, following her gaze.

"We need to gather more information with the rest of our team..." she told him, moving to stand beside one of the trees. "But if you look up here," she indicated some scratch marks high above the first branch, "See those lines? Those weren't made by an animal. It's a marker..." she told him.

"Considering the calculating way these graves are lined up and the fact that our unsub took time to mark them... I'd bet there are more out there. And I'll bet he revisits them, fairly often..."

Morgan huffed out a breath, turning again to scan the area. "If he revisits, he knows we have found this one. He knows we will be looking for him, for the others. It's not going to make our job easier, that's for sure..."

"Nope. But since when do we ever look for the easy roads," Scarlett laughed and punched his arm lightly. "Follow me..." she told them, moving north again, farther into the woods.

"You noticed something?" Derek asked her as he pushed into the thick.

"Possibly..." she scanned the trees overhead. Pulling herself up along the rocks, she looked up again.

"The markings on the tree were four... yet we only had three graves," she told them. "I'm thinking its more design than accident."

Stepping gingerly over the bush, she pointed up at the lower branch. Another scratch on the east side of the tree marred the bark.

"Yeah... definitely by design," she said, moving east now. "Maybe you better call in your crime scene team," she told the officer.

The younger man pulled out his two way to contact the station, never doubting the look on Scarlett's face.

"Base from mobile three... can we have a CSI team out at the previous scene, half a mile north east from the trail head? The agents in the field may have picked up a trail to another site..."

Morgan followed Scarlett into the brush. When she stopped at another tree, he looked up, seeing the tell-tale mark, turned towards the direction it was facing. A clearing opened up and he caught the sight of five marks against a tree standing in the dappled sunlight. He sighed.

"I guess we're going to need shovels..." he said to Scarlett.

"Looks like," she responded absently, shading her eyes as she turned towards the sun. "And if we only find four graves here..."

"The last marker is pointing towards the next site..." Derek shook his head. "I'm seeing the pattern, Katy."

"Then you realize that means we have to backtrack... that one and two are out there waiting..." she stated, meeting her brother's eyes.

"Yeah. Got that... I just hope there are five here... and not six and seven deeper in to this. It's a very large playground for a psychopath, Scarlett."

"And we need to have a definitive date on the three that were found," she pulled her satellite phone that Penelope set up for the team's communications. "I'll get Reid on it. Number's one and two are going to be older... but we need to establish his pattern and time lines."

"Reid here..." Scarlett listened as Spencer's voice cracked over the air wave.

"Spence... you still at the ME's office?" she asked.

"Yes..." he switched the heavy phone over to his other shoulder, studying the marks in the bodies before him. "It looks like you were right in your assumption about the cuts being more torture than hesitant," he told her. "Most of them were made prior to death..." he blew out a breath, and shoved back at the hair that continually fell into his face. "The COD is a deep cut over the jugular. They all bled out."

Scarlett listened to his run down of the injuries as he looked over the bodies. She listened a few moments longer as he adjusted his findings on paper, heard the scratch of a pen and heard him blow his hair out of his face again.

"Morgan and I have found what looks to be another secondary site. We have the local CSI coming up. Actually, this may be the fourth site, but we are going to have to back track to prove that theory," she explained the marks on the trees to him as he took more notations.

"Great..." she heard him mutter. "I guess Blake and I should just stay here, wait for the new bodies?"

"I'm not sure how long it will take to process this site... They're just being called in now. Pass the information along to the team, and let Hotch know that Morgan and I are staying on scene," Scarlett answered. "And get yourself a hair tie, farm boy..." she chuckled.

Reid blew the hair out of his face again as she laughed. Looking up, he could see the wisps already falling back over his forehead.

"Right... Okay, crazy girl. Be careful out there..."

"I will, handsome."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Scarlett followed Morgan out of the trail head as the sunlight faded. They'd spent most of the day following the signs until they'd uncovered what they'd deemed as crude cemeteries of one, two and finally five. The CSI teams had marked off the sites, to return for sites two and five tomorrow, after they'd uncovered the four bodies and the first from its solo grave.

"It makes sense to study number one first," Morgan told her. "If our unsub made any mistakes, it'd probably be in that first victim."

Scarlett stretched herself into a downward dog position before climbing into their SUV. Her muscles were sore from all the climbing they'd put in today, covering over four square miles of woods. She looked over at Morgan.

"Do you believe that number one will actually be his first victim? Or is it just the first he chose to bury up here?" she asked the question that had been on her mind since they'd pulled open that lonely grave.

"I don't have the eyes for the decomposition like Reid does, Katy-bird, but even I could tell it was older than the other four..."

"I'm not disagreeing," she responded as Morgan put the car in drive and followed the patrol car ahead back into town. "I'm just wondering if this is a new pattern, after the old..."

"Whatever the case, we have fifteen bodies now. We have a serial killer at work for what looks like at least two or three years, and families that may now get some closure..."

"You're right..." she sighed and lay her head back against the seat. "I'm sore and tired, hungry and cranky. I'm hoping that this guy just started burying bodies two to three years ago... but my brain is thinking this is just what we have here. A pattern within the pattern..."

"Your gut is telling you that the first site was too clean, too efficient to have been his first?"

"Something like that..." she stretched her legs and kicked off her hiking boots. "I hope Reid and Blake found out more from that first..."

Spencer was leaning over the first body that had been brought in an hour ago. The ME had charted his findings, leaving the agents to do their own studies.

"The pattern of the wounds seem to follow what we'd established with the other victims," Reid stated, looking to Blake for her confirmation. When she only nodded, he continued.

"See here, though? The wounds appear to be heavier, more physical... as if the unsub was more vicious in this attack than the others."

Blake looked at the one entry area that Spencer had pointed out. She moved closer, studying.

"I see here that the blade actually nicked the bone under this thrust," she met his eyes. "It would take considerable force to plunge it that deep in this area. A lot of muscle to cut through," she added.

"Right. So, we can ascertain that the unsub is strong enough to wield the weapon at such a force to cause that damage... and that he may have been enraged when it occurred..."

"Agreed. So it points to this being his first kill and suggests that he knew this victim..." Alex looked at the clock on the wall.

"It's getting late, Spencer. Let's give this a rest for the night and get something to eat. You skipped lunch earlier," she mentioned, looking at his hair. It was freshly cut, clipped short at the back of his nape and around his ears, while the top was longer, worn in his usual wild waves.

"Yeah, well, it was getting annoying..." he told her as he ran his hands up through his hair. "Is it too short now?" he asked, rolling his eyes up to try to see the hair on his forehead.

Alex laughed. "It's different. It just takes some getting used to..." she told him. She followed him out of the office doors as they headed up the couple blocks to the inn where the team was housed.

Spencer watched the sun slip down behind a cloud as the turned to enter the low building.

"Is it too different?" he asked, catching a look at himself in the reflection of the doors. Blake laughed.

"Reid, you look fine. Scarlett will love it..." she chuckled as his face heated in a blush. "She can see more of your face now..." she teased him.

The sound of tires crunching on gravel made them turn. Derek was behind the wheel as the SUV pulled into a parking spot. Alex patted his arm in support.

"She'll love it..." she repeated and entered the building as he waited for Scarlett to reach the porch.

Scarlett carried her boots over her shoulder as she stepped up onto the wide porch. She saw Spencer standing beside the open door and knew her eyes widened in surprise when he blushed.

Morgan looked over at his friend and grinned.

"You get tired of your mop and chop it off, kid?" he teased as he reached over and ruffled the top of his hair.

"Sort of," Reid muttered and looked over again at Scarlett. "Well?" he asked, as she moved to stand before him.

"Come here," Scarlett crooked her finger, indicating he should lean closer to her. When he moved in, she reached up and ran her fingers through the top, linked them into his hair and gave a little tug. She smiled at the expression on his face.

"That'll do," she teased him, gripping his hair again, pulling him in for a kiss. He blushed furiously and looked around, making sure nobody saw them.

"Scarlett..." he watched her eyes change subtlety. "We've got company..." he warned her as she heard footsteps on the stairs.

She sighed and rolled her eyes. "Fiiiiine," she drew out the word in mock frustration. "I guess it'll have to wait," she teased as she gave his hair one last tug.

"You're killing me," she heard him mutter under his breath as he followed her into the inn.

"Later," she gave him a long look over her shoulder. Reid blushed once more as he followed her through the lobby and up the stairs.

"First I need a hot shower and about a gallon of coffee," she told him as she entered their room. She tossed her boots towards the bed and made a beeline towards the bathroom. He heard the water turn on in the shower even as she trekked back into the bedroom half undressed, to flip open her bag. She grabbed up some clean clothes and stopped to look at him again.

"You going to join me, boy, or just stand there watching?" she grinned.

"I, uh, I maybe I'll just stay here," he stammered as she stripped off the rest of her clothes. When she only cocked an eyebrow at him, he jammed his hands into his pockets and followed her into the bathroom.

"Okay, watch then..." she grinned. "Your choice..."

"The team headed down to the dining room to meet for dinner," he told her over the sound of the shower. He leaned against the wall, angling towards the gap in the curtain as he watched her wash the dirt from her skin.

"I'm going as fast as I can, farm boy," she told him. Scarlett felt him watching her and turned with a grin. "That look on your face isn't going to speed things along..." she teased, reaching over to grab his tie and drag him forward to her kiss.

"Scarlett!" Reid pulled himself away from the spray of the water.

"Get back, farm boy, or you're getting wet..." she stated simply as she turned back to finish her quick shower. "Then we'll both miss dinner," she reminded him.

"I'm suddenly not very hungry," he muttered but moved away from the bathroom and back into their bedroom. He jerked off the wet tie and tossed it over onto the low credenza.

"I was thinking the same thing," he heard Scarlett say as she came through the door. She wore only a towel, hair still dripping, as she stalked towards him across the room.

"Who knew a little haircut would make me so hot?" she stated aloud as her eyes narrowed and glittered.

Spencer swallowed hard against the lump in his throat as she closed the space between them.

"Um, Scarlett... come on... we can't blow off the team. They are expecting us..." he started to back away from her slowly when she offered a feral grin.

"We have a case, Katy Scarlett..." he told her, trying to maintain control.

Scarlett stopped an arm's length away from him. She huffed out a long breath.

"You always have to be so damned reasonable," she complained. Rolling her shoulders, she started to dress, quickly. She dragged on a pair of jeans and a t shirt over her still damp body, not even bothering with underclothes.

"After dinner, you're mine, boy..." she warned him, tossing the towel back into the bathroom. She marched out of the room in what Spencer could only think of as a flounce.

"Absolutely killing me..." he muttered, running his hand absently through his hair. He caught his own reflection in the mirror and shook his head.

"Dead. She's the devil, she's killed me... and this dinner is hell..." he told his reflection as he followed her out, wondering how he was going to manage to get through the next few hours without imploding.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Reid wore his battered Converse as he trekked up a particularly steep area of the forest. He looked ahead to where Scarlett had scrambled up a rock face as if she was out on an easy walk. He shook his head, wondering if he'd ever know all of her facets. As his legs burned from the abuse, he cursed at himself for insisting on seeing the sites first hand.

Scarlett had stopped at the top of the ridge, just below the first dump site. She looked back at Spencer picking his way through the incline and grinned.

"C'mon, city boy... haul your pretty ass up here," she teased, her smile teasing him.

"Pretty boy, Farm boy, City boy..." he muttered as he slid a little in the loose dirt. "Can't you just call me by my name?" he groused, finally catching up to her.

"_Spencer_," she called sweetly in a sing song voice. He rolled his eyes and she laughed.

"C'mon babe," Scarlett snagged his hand in hers and gave it a squeeze. "It's just you and me, on a beautiful morning in a gorgeous forest... Why are you so grumpy?"

"A mile up a hill, to more than a dozen graves... Why would you be so happy?" he shot back.

"Oh geesh, you are grumpy," she scowled, shaking her head at him. "Doom and gloom." Scarlett shifted her pack from her back and pulled out a thermos.

"Be nice to me or I won't share my coffee, Dr. Reid," she ordered and poured him some into the lid.

Spencer grabbed the coffee like a man dying of thirst. After he drank down two cups, he managed a sheepish grin.

"Sorry..." he apologized.

"Um-hmm." Scarlett smiled. "Since I'm the reason you only had about two hours of sleep last night, I'll give you a pass, Dr. Reid," she teased him.

"Ninety minutes," he told her as he handed back the lid for another shot of caffeine. "I'm not complaining..."

"Neither am I," she grinned, taking a sip from the mug before handing it back to him.

He sighed and pulled her into his arms. "It is nice up here, I guess. Especially, the just you and me part..." Spencer lowered his lips to hers, tasting her flavor along with the coffee and a hint of cherry ChapStick.

Scarlett lay her head against his chest for a moment while he finished off the coffee. She listened to his heart beating under her ear and the sounds of the forest around them coming alive in the early morning hours.

"The CSI team cleared out the five about a mile south of here, after we left yesterday," she told him, speaking of the matters at hand, despite the peaceful scenery. "Site two is closer to here, less than a quarter mile west," she told him, pulling up the map in her mind.

"They brought them in late. Rossi checked in with the ME, last night..." he responded.

"When we get back, I want to set the area up on a map, so I can see it more clearly," Reid told her. "There may be a pattern to it, something I can't see this way."

"If there is, I'm missing it," Scarlett stated absently as she closed her eyes and pulled the picture up in her mind. "I'm getting nothing..."

Reid watched her face, saw as her eyes tracked under her lids scanning the map she was seeing in her mind's eye.

"I can't see it either," he told her. "That's why sometimes it helps to lay it out physically in front of me." He tipped her face up towards him and dropped a kiss to her lips.

"I love you, Katy..." he told her softly.

"I love you too, Spence," she smiled. "Even when you are being grumpy..."

"Yeah, but..." he stopped dead and grabbed her closer.

When she looked at his face and saw him look over her shoulder she turned slowly.

"Shh, don't make a sound," he warned, moving her behind him as he cleared his weapon from its holster.

Scarlett pulled hers also, as a large bear moved through the forest not fifty yards away from them.

"It's downwind. I don't think it scents us," he whispered.

"Good, because I don't really want to shoot. We are the intruders here..." she said just as quietly. Willing the animal to move along, she stayed as still as a tree, watching and waiting until the bear moved off deeper into the woods.

After another few minutes, Reid finally let out his breath.

"Jesus, that was close," he stammered, turning around to face Scarlett again.

"Yeah, and we've set up shop in his backyard," she managed to joke. "I guess we shouldn't forget that fact."

"Right," he agreed, looking around the woods again. "Let's get a look at the site and get back," he told her, still feeling a little shaky.

Scarlett took his hand and headed in the direction of the shallow grave. When they came up to the yellow tape strung between the trees, she showed him the marks she'd noticed.

"And the fifth site only had five marks?" Reid was asking her as he walked along the perimeter, studying the other trees and the area in general.

"Yes. So if the unsub has a sixteenth victim, he's either broken pattern, or hasn't buried him yet. There will be another mark once he's started the sixth site."

"Not anymore. His graveyard has been uncovered. His pattern has been disrupted. If he has a sixteenth victim, he'll have to find a new way to mark the site."

Scarlett shaded her eyes and looked up at the trees again.

"You think he'd come back here, restart from the center point..." she stated, her voice level in understanding, not in question.

"It would make sense," Spencer agreed.

"I don't see any marks. Nothing fresh. The first vic was dated as being here approximately eighteen months. Penelope hasn't gotten any hits on missing persons from the area or that time frame..."

She moved around Reid, looking closer at the shallow grave. As she studied the dirt, the symmetry of the grave itself, something about the lines nudged at her.

"We're going to have to tell Penny to go back further. This is too clean. Too patient... too_ something_..." she said in frustration.

"I agree," Spencer watched a Scarlett looked around again. "The first body had injuries that showed a rage in the murder. The graves show calm planning, it doesn't fit..."

"A cooling off period?" she asked.

"Maybe... Maybe he spends time with the bodies afterwards. It may even be out of necessity," he looked around. "It wouldn't be easy to dig symmetrical graves in the winter up here."

"So our dates on the bodies may be skewed also," she sighed. "If the bodies were frozen..."

"They weren't embalmed. We would have found traces of the chemicals," he stated. "But they may have been frozen. Until he was able to come up here for the interment," Reid pushed his hair back, more out of habit than anything.

"Looks like we are going to have to look closer into the bodies. They are going to be the key. There's nothing here..." Scarlett looked to him for confirmation.

"There's nothing here..." he agreed. "Let's head back," he said, taking her hand once again.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Scarlett watched as Reid placed more marks on the map that hung before him. The circles lined up with each other closely enough to see that they were not random. She leaned back in her chair, drinking her coffee as she noted another set of marks Spencer had added. A possible secondary disposal site.

Another board had pictures hung on it. Fifteen bodies in various states of decomposition decorated that board, like a grisly version of show and tell. Index cards were labeled underneath each, with an updated estimate on the time frame of death or burial.

Spencer looked up from his work as he heard the click of heels on linoleum announcing Penelope's entrance to the office.

"Okay, kiddos, I got some intel," Garcia stiffened her spine as she approached what she thought of as the 'body board'. She taped the pictures she'd printed out alongside several of the shots.

"I widened my search to include missings from US and Canada. I also increased the perimeters to add five more years. You aren't going to like this, my pretties..." she sighed, looking at the faces of the people she'd finally put some names to.

Scarlett moved to stand beside her friend and take in the new information on the board.

"Ten out of the fifteen identified. That's promising, Pens. And it'll give ten families some peace of mind, sweetie," she reminded Penelope gently, as she rubbed a hand on her arm.

"I know, I know... but, I can't wait until this is closed and I can go back to hiding behind a monitor. _This_..." she waved her hand at the board, "is just too close for me."

Reid watched Scarlett maneuver Garcia away from the board. Aiming their friend over to the coffee bar, she pushed her gently away.

"Go. Make yourself a cup of tea. Spence and I have this," Scarlett told her as she took the file folder from Penelope's clenched fingers.

"Right, yes... Okay," she puffed out a breath and headed away from the scene behind her.

He moved alongside Scarlett as she pulled the reports from the file and hung them also. "Two missing from Canada, eight from the lower forty eight... five unidentified as yet," Spencer stated aloud. "The latest five have been identified, missing less than ten months according to this," he studied the paperwork.

"Which means he's escalating. The earliest victim we've got id'd went missing from Michigan over two years ago, Spencer. He was one of the bodies in plot two..." Scarlett posted the missing report next to his driver's license printout.

"The other one in that plot is not id'd, nor is the first," he stepped back, looking at the new information. "We have a type... more than just the three we had at first by looks. We can see each were hikers. Athletic. We have a type," he repeated.

"Light coloring, outdoorsy, single. Excellent physical shape... Hunter. Hiker..." she angled her head and looked at the pictures again.

"When we find the first, we're going to have the connection," Reid stated.

"And the unsub would've known that. He's smart. Too smart. He's covered this all up since the beginning, he's not even blipped on our radar..."

"Maybe because he isn't on any radar," Reid added. "Survivalist type. Loner," he shrugged. "It's an idea."

"It fits..." Scarlett moved closer to Spencer, nudged against him as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

They were standing together like that, discussing the information before them as JJ and Blake came in the room.

JJ watched as Reid caught her eye and didn't even move to drop his arm or step away from Scarlett. Instead, he nodded at the board, indicating the newest information that had been added. It spoke volumes to her at the core of it, the ease of how he'd become comfortable with the relationship, even within the work environment. At least with her and Alex present. She figured he may reconsider if Hotch or Rossi had walked in.

"We've got most of a working profile," he told them. "Enough to present to the locals, anyway," he told them.

"Should I call Hotch?" JJ asked.

"Yeah," Scarlett leaned her head back to look up at Reid. "We can give everyone an update at once. Filling in the blanks together," she told him. She felt Spencer's hand squeeze her shoulder as he leaned down and kissed her temple.

"Are we any closer on id's on the other five?" Alex asked.

"Penelope's digging on that," Spencer answered. When he looked up from Scarlett and caught JJ's faint smile, he felt his face begin to heat a bit. He straightened his stance and dropped his arm from Scarlett's shoulders to rest at the small of her back.

"Sorry," he muttered.

Scarlett looked from his face to JJ.

"What?" she asked confused. "What are you sorry about?"

JJ grinned. "I think Spence just realized how relaxed he looked," she teased.

Scarlett scowled slightly. "That's something to apologize about?" she asked him.

"No," he rolled his eyes. "Just, its... we're at work. I shouldn't be so..."

"Demonstrative?" Blake supplied with a grin of her own.

"I was going to say 'affectionate'," JJ held in a chuckle as Reid's blush deepened.

"Oh, for the love of Pete," Scarlett muttered. "Spence, they're just busting on you. You don't need to look like you got your hand caught in the cookie jar," she told him. "You weren't doing anything inappropriate."

When he still looked uncomfortable, she shifted closer and nudged him with her shoulder.

"I'm going to go find Penny, see if she was able to find anything more on our remaining John Does," she told him. Reaching behind his back, she grabbed his ass as she passed him, making him jump sideways as she walked out of the office. She heard JJ laugh loudly before covering her mouth.

"See? Now, _that_ was inappropriate," she called back over her shoulder.

Alex caught Reid's frantic gaze and held it levelly.

"Never a dull moment with her, is there?" she asked him coolly.

"Christ, no..." Spencer scrubbed at his heated face, willing it to return to a normal color. He held his breath and blew it out sharply. Looking at Alex again, he shrugged his shoulders.

"And I'm guessing you wouldn't change a minute of any of it," she smiled.

Reid looked out the glass that partitioned off the office they were using. He caught sight of Scarlett moving through the station, heading over towards Penelope.

"No. Not even a little," he told her honestly.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The team gathered together to give the profile to the local police and then included the military presence in the town. After the contacts were handled, they returned to the inn for regrouping over lunch.

Penelope had more information on the identities of the five remaining bodies. The final hit was the first murder so the team was taking a closer look at him, hoping the answers were hidden in who he was in life.

"Darryl Beggins, 25, local. Avid hunter and fisherman. He worked in town, no family listed, no history of trouble..." Garcia read. "He just never showed back up for work one day. They'd assumed he quit, left... It's sad," she declared.

"His last day of work, last contact, was four years ago. His decomp only shows approximately three..." Morgan stated.

"So we believe the unsub kept this body under wraps the longest, before burial. He has to have a safe house or an area where a body wouldn't have been noticed over a period close to two years..." Rossi added.

"And according to the wounds on the body, Mr. Beggins received the worst of it, pre and post mortem. There was excessive rage here. A personal connection..." Alex mentioned. "We find that personal connection, we find our unsub."

Hotch nodded. "Garcia, I need a list of everyone who had ever had any contact with this victim, from birth to death. We can filter that down into a workable interview list. The rage could have come from the personal connection, but it may have stemmed from anything, a close working relationship, or a perceived slight from a fellow hunter. We need to cover all the bases."

A local officer entered the dining hall, making a beeline for the agents table.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but we have a problem," he stated, including the entire table in a glance.

"A body was found dumped on the road outside of town. Same deep cuts, wounds... he fits the other victims."

"A copycat?" Scarlett questioned.

"We don't think so ma'am," he responded. "We didn't release any details of how we located the bodies, or the total number... We didn't want hysteria over a serial killer in a small town..."

"But?" she asked patiently.

"But, this body had more than the usual wounds. A number sixteen was carved in his chest. And it looks new, uh, fresh..." the young officer explained.

Reid set his jaw tightly. "We changed his pattern. He needs to adapt. But he still needs the count. It's compulsive..." he added.

"So now he's bringing it to us," Rossi agreed. "Reid, you and Ryan go with the body to the ME's office. Morgan and I will check out the location where he was found. Let's see if anything else has changed."

Scarlett and Spencer headed out, following the officer to the office down the street. Reid asked a litany of questions about how the body was found, storing what information he could into his memory. He knew Scarlett was doing the same, and since the questioning was auditory, she wouldn't forget a word or nuance.

When they entered the office, they found the doctor already looking over the body. He picked his head up briefly and scowled.

"Dr. Reid. I can't say as I'm happy to see you again," he stated amicably. "This is keeping me far busier than I like."

Reid nodded, moving to look over the body. "Dr. Reynolds... this is SSA Ryan. She's been working the field, the burial sites, up until today."

"Yes, until the bastard decided to all but start dropping them into our laps," Reynolds muttered. "I hope he made a mistake. I hope you find him soon," he looked over at Scarlett. "This is not my hometown. This is an aberration," he told her.

"Agreed. And the unsub is either getting cocky, or sloppy. We've pushed him out of his comfort zone. Let's see if that made him make a mistake," she told the doctor.

Dr. Reynolds nodded. He pulled the sheet back from the cadaver and showed the agents the crudely carved numbers on the man's chest.

"Obviously, post mortem," he told them. "I can determine the cuts themselves were made as early as this morning. The body itself has been maintained like the others. From the conditions, I'd state COD as exsanguination, same as the others, from the cut here, along the femoral artery. I put date of death at least ten days ago..."

Scarlett listened and watched closely as the doctor performed the autopsy and recorded his notes. She looked over the wounds and caught Reid's eyes.

"These are deeper here, in the stomach area. The blade would be very long to make those kinds of cuts," she stated.

"We have determined the weapon to be a hunting knife, probably a five to six inch blade."

"But a five or six inch blade here, deeply, wouldn't fit with these more shallow marks over here," she indicated the shoulder area. "The blade would taper, these cuts are wider."

She looked closer at the shoulder wound. "The blows are not hesitant... the violence is enough to have nicked the bone, here... but the cut isn't as deep."

Spencer watched her face as she studied the other cuts, the variations she'd noticed over the wounds.

"Two weapons?" he asked her, interrupting her train of thought.

Scarlett shook her head. "Not just two weapons. Two different kinds of wounds. I need to see the other bodies," she looked over to Dr. Reynolds.

He nodded and moved to pull another victim out of the line of drawers. Scarlett crossed over and studied the marks.

Reid stood closer to her. "What are you seeing?" he asked.

Scarlett moved her hand across the larger wounds.

"These are deeper. Downward thrust. Larger blade, more force. Most of these are the ones we noted before death," she looked at Dr. Reynolds for confirmation and he nodded.

"These are shallower... the cut pattern in different. A smaller blade. Even cut, not downward. Different angle..." she muttered as her mind drew her a picture. "Different height..." she narrowed her eyes at Reid. "Different unsubs."

Spencer closed his eyes a moment, huffed out a breath. "A smaller man... or a woman. A team."

Dr. Reynolds shook his head. "Great..." he sighed. "A murder team."

Scarlett nodded. "Let's go tell Hotch. We need to revise the profile."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Spencer watched as Scarlett stood on one leg, stretching her body into various yoga positions in the middle of the room. No music accompanied her tonight, he knew she was using the stances to help channel her thoughts about the case.

Garcia had notified the team of a report on a hiker who had gone missing this morning.

As she pulled herself into an arch, touching a foot to the back of her head, she continued to think out loud.

"What could be their motivation? Why are they draining the blood?" she asked.

"It's an efficient way to kill," Spencer offered.

"It's more than that. The initial wounds are meant for pain. They aren't worried about the efficiency. Yet they were saving the bodies. Up until recently..."

"Sometimes there isn't a 'why' Scarlett, you know that. There isn't a reason behind the unsub other than to cause pain..." Spencer watched her face, the concentration there as she continued with the movements.

"I'm missing something," she scowled, her brain looping in circles over the cuts and bodies floating through her thoughts.

"Scarlett..."

She stopped mid movement as Spencer laid a hand to her shoulder. She hadn't even noticed he'd come to stand beside her and it startled her.

"Give it a break, crazy girl. You're over thinking it," he told her. Rubbing his hand lightly along her shoulders, he could feel tension knotting her muscles.

"I thought yoga was supposed to relax you," he teased, moving his hands across the back of her neck and rubbing at the worst of it.

"It usually does," she groaned, moving her head to the side as he kneaded the tightness there. "God, that feels so good," she told him.

"Sit," he told her, maneuvering her towards the side of the bed. "Let me help..."

"I just can't relax. I keep thinking that I'm missing something..."

He moved behind her on the bed, massaging the muscles. "Katy, if you are missing something, so is the team. We are all working on it... together," he pushed her hair over her shoulder and kissed her just under her ear.

"But..."

"No buts," he told her sternly. "There is no 'I' in team, remember?" he teased, moving to work at the knots in her back.

"Yes there is, it's in the 'A' hole," she quipped, quoting an internet meme.

"Yeah, well, quit being the 'a-hole'," he poked her ribs, tickling her and making her laugh.

Scarlett rolled over onto the bed, taking him with her, until their bodies were flush against each other. She laughed until her sides hurt under his tickle assault.

"Alright, I give... uncle!" she chuckled, curling up against him. She looked up into his face, pulling him down to kiss her.

"God, how I love you, Spence," she told him breathlessly.

"You're just saying that so I don't go for your feet next," he teased.

"Umm-hmm, partly..." she confirmed. "The other part is because you can make me laugh. Even under the worst of it."

She settled back on the pillows, looking up on his face.

"You keep me balanced, farm boy."

Spencer leaned down and captured her lips. Shifting slightly, he moved his body over hers, running his hands along her sensitive skin.

"I love you too, Scarlett," he breathed out the words as he nipped at her collarbone. "You are my life, crazy girl," he said simply, continuing to trail kisses up to her jaw.

Scarlett hitched her toes into the waistband of his pajama pants and dragged them off his hips. When he smiled, she captured that grin with her mouth.

"Make love to me, Spencer..." she told him.

Later, as the night filtered through the window, Scarlett curled up in Spencer's arms, sleeping deeply. He lay against her, softly stroking her arm, watching her sleep. His own mind wandered, as it tended to do, through the events of the day, thoughts of tomorrow, and the moments with Scarlett. She dominated his thoughts, even through work, her face was predominant in his mind and it occurred to him that love filtered through all aspects of life. Work, travel, downtime... when you loved someone, they were always in your thoughts...

He wrinkled his brow in concentration. Picturing the board in his mind, something shifted. Scarlett moved beside him, opening her eyes and looking into his face.

"What?" she whispered quietly. "What have you figured out, farm boy?" she asked, knowing the look on his face too well.

"The first victim," he responded. "It wasn't someone close to him, it was her..." he clarified. "That's the missing angle. He killed him for her..."

Scarlett sat up in bed, rubbing her eyes. "Why do you say that?" she asked.

"Because, if something was going to enrage me enough to kill, it'd be for you..." he told her bluntly. "She's the driving force."

"Ugh," Scarlett scrunched up her face. "Thanks for that, but, ugh..." she reiterated. "Let's hope I never drive you to murdering for me," she quipped.

Spencer trailed his hand down her bare back. "You know what I mean," he stated.

"Yes. I get it. We have to look at the connections to Beggins again. Leaning towards a woman, this time..." she looked back over her shoulder at him, squinting at the clock on the headboard.

"It's still early. Sun won't be up for another hour..." she sighed. "By then it may be too late for the missing hiker."

"Let's hope not..." he told her, pulling her back down beside him. He kissed her temple, trying to relax her again. "You need glasses," he muttered.

Scarlett rolled her eyes in the darkness. "You notice too much, Dr. Reid," she nudged him, pressing against his side. She snuggled closer, listening to his breathing until he drifted off to sleep.

This time she lay awake, considering the missing angles.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

The team each took names from the first victim, correlating known acquaintances to match within the new perimeters after Reid and Scarlett had discussed their thoughts. Garcia added the search into her computer and picked up a hit.

"Guys," she stated. "I think we've got something..." she turned her screen a bit so they could see.

"There's a woman, well, girl then- who'd been dating Darryl Beggins through high school. She'd left for college but records show she'd dropped out, returned here to her home town... but they never picked up the relationship. She's seemed to drop off the radar afterward. Right before we've determined Beggins had gone missing," Penelope pushed her glasses up on her nose, looking at the others as she highlighted the woman's name on her screen.

The sheriff took a closer look at the name. "Jennifer Davis. I remember her. She'd left to study forestry conservation. Smart girl. They were high school sweethearts, but after she'd left, he'd gotten another girl pregnant. They were living together..." he looked confused a moment. "I don't remember her coming back to town," he told them.

"According to the paper trail, she did. She came back," Rossi nodded to the screen.

"And found an accomplice, by the looks of things," the sheriff added.

"Or in their minds, a soul mate. He rectified a wrong, done to her," Reid stated.

"To an extreme..."

"It's her stressor," Scarlett added. "We have to find her 'soul mate'," she told the team. "That's where we'll find them."

Hotch nodded. "We'll start speaking to the locals who remember Jennifer Davis. Someone may remember her coming back, talking to someone after she returned to find Beggins with his new life."

"You may want to talk to Anne Davis. She lives not too far from here. She's Jennifer's sister. If she came back, distraught, I'd think she'd have gone to family, right?" the sheriff asked.

"It's a start," Dave agreed. "Reid, Ryan- interview Anne, at her home. See if she has any information on where her sister has been staying since she returned. Go softly though, we don't want word to spread we are looking for her. Small towns tend to carry word quickly and we don't want to spook her."

"Right," Scarlett stood up, looking over Garcia's shoulder at the picture of Anne Davis and her address on the screen. "Got it," she told her, looking to Reid as they left the room.

Scarlett slid into the passenger seat of the SUV as Reid took the wheel. He pulled out into the main street, following the instructions on the GPS that Scarlett had punched into the screen. Twenty minutes later they were heading up the sidewalk of a small, neatly appointed home on the south side of town.

"How do you want to take this?" Spencer asked her.

"We can start with the connection to Beggins. Ask the sister if Jennifer had come back home before finishing college because of him. Was there any chance she'd met his murderer? That'll be our lead in, without implicating Jennifer in anything," she told him.

"Okay. I'll follow your lead."

Scarlett rang the bell, waiting as a woman peered out of one of the curtained windows. Opening the door slightly, Anne rested a hand on the knob, as if to pull it shut quickly.

"Can I help you?"

"Ma'am," Scarlett stepped up closer to the screen, holding up her credentials. "I'm Special Agent Ryan and this is Dr. Spencer Reid with the FBI. I'm sure you've heard we are here investigating a series of murders in this town," she stated, knowing that small town gossip would have certainly reached her at some point in the last few days.

"Of course, I've heard," the woman angled a look at the wallet Scarlett held out. "What's that got to do with me?" she asked, eyes wide.

"Nothing, directly, ma'am, please, if we could speak with you a moment. We have reason to believe you may have known one of the victims, and are just covering some bases, asking questions of anyone who may have known him," Scarlett explained quietly.

The door opened a bit more as Anne looked over at Reid. She quirked an eyebrow at Scarlett.

"It's a small town, small community. I'm sure you'll find quite a few people who know the victims," she told them, even as she allowed them inside her home.

"Even so, we've reason to believe you can help us find a connection," Reid added, following Scarlett through the door.

"What's the name?" the woman asked, leading them to a living room and indicating they should sit. Scarlett followed suit, choosing the chair across from where Anne sat down.

"Darryl Beggins," she told her, offering sympathy in her features. She watched closely for Anne reaction to the name. She noted slight distress, before a harder look entered Anne's eyes. Anger touched there.

"Well, yes. I do know Darryl. Did, I mean," she told them. "I was under the impression he had left town, quite a few years ago, when he'd gotten Dottie Saunders in trouble," she looked confused for a brief moment and sighed.

"I'd heard he and Dottie left to move to Michigan, where she had family. Small town..." she waved her hand slightly as if to encompass the area. "Lots of tongues telling stories. Dottie was older than Darryl. When she came out with her being pregnant, some of those stories weren't so kind to her, saying she'd seduced him, gotten pregnant on purpose, things of that nature. She tended bar in town. She'd have heard all the versions. I just figured it was easier for her to go back home. It was assumed he'd followed. To be with his baby... I don't know whether anyone thought he'd followed Dottie. They weren't real lovey dovey towards the end, before she left. Lots of arguing," she clarified.

Scarlett made a note in her book, more for Anne's benefit than her own. "We've heard through other interviews that your sister had been involved with Darryl before she'd left for college," she offered. "Small towns..."

"Yes, I imagine you would have heard that," Anne smiled slightly. "They were a close couple right up until Jenny left. He didn't want her to go. It was unfair to my sister, the way he wanted to keep her here. She wanted the education, the experience that she couldn't get in this area. But she knew she'd come back, after college. She was planning on working in the state park, in forestry."

Scarlett nodded, hoping to encourage Anne to continue. "_Was_ planning?" she prodded. "What changed?"

Anne stood, moving over to the mantle of a fireplace, taking down a picture. She handed it off to Scarlett.

"Life changed. Darryl changed. He had gotten Dottie pregnant, wrote Jenny before the small town gossip reached her ears..."

"He wrote her? Text, email? Not a phone call?" Spencer asked, looking at the picture of the fresh faced young woman smiling out at them.

"An email. She showed it to me when she came back. She printed it out... It told her how'd he'd fallen in love with Dottie, how he was going to marry her and move to Michigan," she nodded. "Jenny left school, came home to confront him, but they'd already left. I'd always assumed together," Anne scowled slightly. "So did Jenny," she told them.

"Where did your sister go, after she came back to confront him and found him gone?" Scarlett asked.

Anne looked over at Scarlett. "He broke her heart. I'm not just saying that because she's my sister and I'm projecting... I could see it clearly, shattering. She talked about going to Michigan, confronting him there... but then something changed."

"What?" Reid asked, taking the frame from Scarlett and returning it to Anne. "What changed?"

"She met another man," Anne said, gently tracing the face in the picture with her fingers. "She changed."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Scarlett relayed information via the sat phone to Garcia, to check for the name of the man Anne had said her sister Jenny had fallen in love with after Darryl.

"Raymond Wellker..." she told her, listening as the keyboard clicked in the background.

Reid was on his phone, also talking to the team, explaining what they'd found out from Jennifer Davis' sister. He tilted his head towards Scarlett as he heard her confirm an address.

"Right, yes... got it," she turn to Spencer, showing him the address. "Tell the others to meet us here," she told him. He nodded, speaking into the phone again to Morgan.

"Garcia got an address. Morgan, we are closer to the location starting from here. We're heading in..."

"Wait for the team before entering," Derek told his friend. "We'll be right behind you."

Scarlett gave Garcia some more information on Dottie Saunders. "Check around Michigan, Pens..." she was saying. "I want to know she ended up safe, back with her family."

"Got it, sweetie," Penelope agreed. "I'll find her. You be careful, heading out to that address. According to the maps, you're going to be heading off the beaten path. Nothing around but wilderness for miles."

"Sounds like the place we are looking for," Scarlett agreed. "Catch ya on the flip side..." she disconnected the call and looked over at Spencer.

"It looks good on this Raymond, Spence," she told him. "Survivalist type, several years older than Jenny. He may be the driving influence here, even if she's the accomplice. We're going to hang back, wait on the team," she looked out the window to the passing scenery.

"Yeah, got that from Morgan too..." he agreed. "It's not worth the chance of having them go under, if we are this close."

"I just hope its enough time to save Evan from Darryl's fate," she said, turning back in the seat once again.

Reid set his jaw. "We can only do what we can, Scarlett. You know that."

"_Knowing_ doesn't make it sit any better with me," she stated.

He sighed. "I know."

They reached the turn off to the narrow dirt road that led to the Wellker cabin. Reid took the SUV off the berm of the road to wait for the rest of the team to arrive. He reached across the seat and took Scarlett's hand.

"We are waiting..." he told her, rubbing his fingers over her knuckles.

Scarlett huffed. "I'm not arguing, farm boy..." she narrowed her gaze to the road. "I haven't moved."

Spencer smiled and raised her hand to his lips. "I see it in your eyes, crazy girl. You're already more than halfway down that road."

She closed her eyes, resting her head back against the seat. Her lips moved, repeating the lyrics running through her mind. When she opened them, she saw Reid grinning at her.

"Stop that," she shoved at him playfully.

"What?" he laughed.

"Reading my lips," she told him, sticking out her tongue at him. "It's annoying and I'm already spoiling for a fight."

"You're getting ahead of yourself, Scarlett. We don't know what we'll find here. There's no reason to expect a fight."

"Do you really believe that?" she asked him.

Spencer sighed. "No. I've got a bad feeling about this guy. If he's not the unsub, at the least he's going to be unfriendly towards a team of federal agents coming onto his land."

He looked out over the field alongside the road way, through the line of trees.

"I have a bad feeling..." he repeated.

Scarlett sighed. "Nerves... It'll be fine," she told him, leaning over to kiss his lips quickly. "Let's get the vests out of the back, so we're ready when the others get here."

Moving out of the driver's door, Spencer popped open the back hatch of the vehicle. Scarlett followed, moving to the back.

"As soon as we head in this road, he's going to know we are here," he said, reaching over to tighten the strap on Scarlett's shoulder. "We aren't..."

His voice cut off, lost in the sound of a repeat of an automatic rifle.

"Get _down_!" he shouted over the noise, shoving Scarlett closer to the protection of the SUV.

"It's coming from the woods," she told him, moving closer to the side away from the trees. Another volley of bullets hit the ground opposite them, taking out one of the windows. They both held their weapons at the ready.

"Sat phone is still in the cab," Spencer said. "We've got to warn the team..."

Scarlett nodded, moving ahead of him to open the driver's door. She reached in and grabbed the phone, quickly connecting to Morgan.

"Put the phone down, girlie... drop your gun and don't make any sudden moves."

Scarlett froze as she heard the drawl come from behind her. Immediate fear for Spencer had her whirling around without regard for her own safety.

She saw a man outfitted in bush gear, holding Reid at knife point. Even as she moved to comply, she saw a red line draw down his collarbone before the man returned the point to Spencer's jugular.

"I said don't move! I'm not playing, fed. Don't make me hurt your boyfriend here. You won't like it," the larger man grinned, pulling Reid closer.

Scarlett swallowed against the bile in her throat before she was able to speak. She raised her hands to her sides.

"I've put it down. I'm listening," she told him, stepping away from the SUV. She'd left the connection open to Morgan. Praying the man followed her away from the cab, she made another hesitant step to the side. "Please don't hurt my partner," she said loudly, carrying her voice to the phone.

"Well, now, you sure can ask nice, sweet thing... but we'll figure that out on the way... Move!" he shoved Reid forward, knife still biting at his neck until blood dripped at the point.

"And don't think about running, my woman has you covered," he yelled at Scarlett. "She'd just as soon shoot ya and leave you for dead..."

He marched then towards the tree line, keeping his arm twisted on Spencer's. Scarlett followed his instructions, keeping a close eye on the knife that was digging into her heart as much as it was in Reid's skin.

"Take that away from his throat, please," she begged as they started to cross uneven ground. The blood on Spencer's collar was blooming brightly against the contrast of his shirt.

"Shut up!" Another voice joined the air from the row of trees. "Nobody told you to talk," the woman yelled angrily from where she'd marched out from behind the tree. Continuing to move closer, she trained the automatic weapon on Scarlett.

"I told you to leave her!" she shouted at the man. Scarlett flinched as the butt of the gun rammed at her head.

Spencer lunged forward, feeling knife tear into his throat. But the man jerked him back, and grabbed the weapon away from the other woman before it made contact with Scarlett's face.

"No!" he shouted back at the woman. "We take them both. _Insurance_," he told her, shoving the gun back into her hands. "Now let's move!" he told her, beginning down a rocky trail.

Scarlett all but sighed in relief when the man removed the knife from Spencer, picking up his own rifle as they started back into the woods. She shot Reid a quick glance, caught his eyes and moved forward on the command of their captors.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

They'd been led underground into an old bomb shelter. A single light burned along the back wall casting shadows across Scarlett's face. The woman, Jenny, they'd assumed, was finishing tying Scarlett to a metal chair.

"We only came to ask some questions," Scarlett was trying to reason with the crazed woman holding them prisoner. "You can call this off and release us, it's a misunderstanding..." her breath cut off as Jenny slammed the butt of the rifle into her midsection.

"Stop!" Reid shouted, yanking against his bindings. The man, Raymond, clasped a hand to his shoulder, holding him still.

"Well, ain't this sweet... looks like we have us a set of love birds here, Jenn," he laughed, patting Reid's shoulder awkwardly.

"Could make my questions go easier, don't you think?" he ground out, shoving Jenny aside and standing before Scarlett. "I don't know any man who'd stay silent while watching his woman scream..."

Ray pulled out a hunting blade from its scabbard and drew it out in front of Scarlett's face. She caught Spencer's eyes as he jerked forward in the chair across from hers. Jenny moved in between them, wielding a small blade of her own.

"Sit _back_!" she ordered him. Reid snapped back in place, shooting a look of outrage at her. He kept his mouth tightly, his gaze forward, holding Scarlett's eyes.

"That's right. You just keep watching, fed. Keep your eyes on the prize. You answer my questions, and I don't hurt your woman any more than necessary. We clear?" he snarled at Spencer.

Scarlett saw Reid's eyes switch quickly from hers over to Ray's then back to hers.

"Crystal." Spencer growled out.

"How many feds are coming here?" Ray asked, shoving the tip of the blade against Scarlett's throat. She swallowed cautiously against it and felt blood trickle.

"Five..." Spencer shouted, pulling against the restraints. "Five on our team."

Jenny pushed the edge of her knife against his shoulder. "Stay back!" she warned him again. She slashed his skin cleanly, drawing a quick line from his arm across to his chest.

This time, Scarlett jumped forward. "Spence!" she shouted, feeling the bite of the knife on her neck. She saw him grimace, sucking in a breath before he grit his teeth once again, raising his eyes to meet Ray's.

"You expect me to believe only five feds are coming?" Ray barked, pulling the knife along Scarlett's throat, trickling blood along the line. She felt the burn, closed her eyes and willed the pain into another corner of her mind.

"Scarlett!" Reid shouted, yanking forward again. This time, Ray thrust his knife forward, sinking the tip into Spencer's side. His grunt of pain caught Scarlett's attention. She watched as he jerked the knife back out, bringing forth a gush of blood.

Jenny's laughter echoed hollowly through the room. She ripped the rest of Reid's shirt off his torso, exposing the jagged cut.

"Ya know, Ray here can keep doing that without hitting anything vital for _hours_," she warned them. "You'll be begging for him to end your pain..."

"Is that what happened with Darryl?" Scarlett grunted at the quick backhand that snapped her head back.

"Shut up!" Ray shouted at her. "You don't talk... _You_ talk!" he shoved the knife at Reid again and stopped before hitting skin.

Scarlett licked the inside of her lip, tasting her own blood. Her head swam and a ringing buzzed in her ears. She kept her eyes focused on Reid, watching him, willing the team to get here faster.

Spencer looked up at Ray. "I told you I'd answer your questions, leave her alone!" he snarled, earning another jab of Jenny's knife into his flesh. He flinched slightly as she dragged it out and noticed a strange light on her face.

"Piquerist," he said aloud for Scarlett to hear. He saw her eyes move to Jenny's face and watched her nod quickly.

"I said, shut up!" Jenny shouted, this time aiming the blade at Scarlett. "Or would you rather I cut up your girlfriend?"

"No!" Spencer shook his head, sweat traveling down his face and into his eyes. He felt his muscles burning where the cuts were now mixing with the sweat.

"Jenny!" Ray yanked the younger woman up away from Scarlett. "Go grab the two way. I want to hear the feds coming in..."

Scarlett watched Jenny narrow her eyes towards her as she left the room. She knew the woman would happily slit her throat when the time came. To Jenny's mind, Spencer was a toy, a body to play with- but she herself was disposable. She tugged at the bindings at her wrists, working to free herself from the rope. As it bit into her skin, blood coated the fibers, helping to loosen it a little.

Reid kept answering Ray's questions, keeping his attention away from Scarlett. He saw her flinch as Ray plunged the knife into his flesh once again, when an answer didn't appease him. They both froze at the sound of sirens above the ground and heard shots fired.

Spencer felt the knife slice into his stomach, ripping jaggedly up and hitting a rib. He stopped breathing as Ray turned to Scarlett, ready to throw himself at the larger man if he threatened her with the knife.

He heard a shot, inside the enclosed area, as darkness surrounded him, pulling him away.

Scarlett moved quickly, dropping her secondary weapon as she ran to Reid's side where he'd fallen. She pulled his head up from his chest, checking his pulse and respiration. When she heard the trap door pull open, she quickly rearmed herself and grabbed Ray's knife to remove Spencer's ropes, freeing him, then herself the rest of the way. Her shoulder ached where she'd dislocated it pulling her hands in front of her when she made the grab for her weapon in the ankle holster.

She pulled him against her chest, covering the doorway with her gun. Her hand steadied, ready to protect and defend. Inside, she shook, continuing to see Spencer as he'd thrown himself against the knife that had been directed at her.

"Spence, _Spencer_!" she shouted at him, shaking him slightly. "Stay with me! Please!" she begged, feeling tears burning in her throat. His blood was soaking into her clothes and she pressed a hand against the deepest, trying to staunch the flow.

Scarlett heard footsteps on the metal staircase heading into the room. When she heard '_Clear_!' called out, she dropped her weapon once again, using both hands to close the gash over Reid's stomach.

"In here!" she screamed, her voice raising in near shock. "We're in here, it's clear, but Reid's down. Get a goddamn medic in here!"

The door came open and she watched her brother race into the room. He kept his eyes locked on Scarlett, even as he stopped quickly to check Ray's pulse.

"Medics are right behind us, Scarlett," he told her.

She wrapped herself around Spencer, shaking. "Please, farm boy, stay with me..." she sobbed against his neck as she fought to keep herself from sliding into the cold haze of shock.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Spencer heard the sound of a television playing softly somewhere in the room. When he tried to move, pain seared him, making him grunt against it. He opened his eyes, looking around the darkened room, confusion playing across his features.

"Hey, pretty boy... have a nice nap?" Morgan sat up in the recliner alongside the bed. Relief was evident on his face, belying the cheeriness of his voice.

"Yeah," Reid croaked, his throat dry. He felt the plastic tubing at his nose and tried to lift his hand to swipe at it. His arm didn't move.

"What's wrong?" Derek moved, standing beside his friend.

"Can't move my arm..." Reid breathed out. "I can't turn..."

Morgan chuckled. "That's because you have a hundred and twenty pounds of terror hanging on your arm," he teased. Shifting over Reid's side, Derek poked Scarlett in the back.

She jumped up immediately, with a snarl, and Spencer felt his arm turn into pins and needles.

"He's awake, Katy-bird," Derek smiled at his sister's growl. "You can give up your post..."

"Post?" Spencer asked as he tried to shift towards Scarlett. She moved into his line of sight.

"Spence?" she watched his eyes closely.

"What happened?" he asked.

Scarlett sighed and dropped her head carefully against his chest. She kissed him once, quickly before she moved off the bed and into the bathroom.

Stunned, he looked at Derek.

"What happened?" he repeated.

"You got cut pretty badly, Reid. The doctors had to perform surgery, and it was a little touch and go for awhile there... Stay still..." he warned, moving to help Spencer shift in the bed.

"Scarlett?"

"She's fine, kid. A nervous wreck, hasn't slept more than a handful of minutes in the past two days, but she's okay physically..."

Spencer groaned and tried to sit up again. "Two days?" he asked, wincing from the pain.

"Yeah. You had us worried, Reid. Do you want something for the pain?" he asked.

"No!" he said a little too vehemently. "No, no narcotics..." he clarified.

"That's what Scarlett said you'd say," Morgan shook his head. "The reason she was latched on to your arm was because the shift nurses kept insisting on giving you pain meds. So, Scarlett scared the hell out of them and made sure they cleared everything they gave you through her first," he explained.

Reid picked up his arm where an IV ran into the back of his hand. He looked up towards the bags hanging.

"Fluids and antibiotics, that's all Reid. I made sure..." Scarlett crossed the room, sitting gingerly alongside him on the bed. "You told me you'd never want drugs... I kept them to that... well, after the surgery, anyways," she amended.

Spencer saw her eyes, red from crying and circled darkly with lack of sleep. He reached for her hand.

"Reid?" he questioned, drawing a small smile from her lips.

"Yeah, _Reid_," she countered. "I'm still pissed at you for scaring me that way," she tried teasing him, but a sob caught in her throat.

Spencer tugged her hand. "Come here, crazy girl," he told her. "Please..."

The tears came then, unbidden and Scarlett shoved at them roughly. She scooted alongside the bed, tucking her face into his shoulder while trying not to touch him.

He moved his arm, trying to pull her closer.

"You're going to hurt yourself," she muttered between sobs, but moved closer until her body was pressed against him.

"I feel better when you're close," he told her honestly. He took her hand and tucked it into his, over his heart.

Morgan stood at the bottom of the bed. "I'm going to let the others know you're awake," he told Reid. "It's late yet- maybe you can manage to get some more sleep," he looked over at Scarlett.

"Especially you, little one..." he tapped her foot with his hand. Grabbing the blanket he tossed it over her. "You both need more rest."

"Yeah, I know..." Scarlett scrubbed at the tears on her face. "Nag..." she called him lightly, turning to bury her face in Reid's chest. She was already half asleep from exhaustion.

Morgan grinned. "I'll be back in the morning..." he looked over to Spencer's face. "Do you want me to tell the nurse you are awake?"

"No," he held Scarlett's hand lightly. "I'll talk to them in the morning," he paused a minute, listening to her even breathing. "She's okay?" he asked Derek.

"Better now that you've woken up. Other than that, a few cuts, scratches..." Morgan blew out a breath.

"She told us you threw yourself on the knife," he shook his head. "It could have been much worse... for either of you..."

"I don't remember," Reid told his friend. "The last thing I remember is thinking I wasn't going to let him get to her..."

"You didn't, kid..." Morgan moved to place a hand on Spencer's arm. "He didn't get to her. Thanks for that," he told him.

Reid scowled, uncomfortable with the comment. "What happened? I don't remember..." he repeated.

Derek pulled the chair up beside the bed. "I heard Scarlett through the open line. We knew they'd gotten the jump on you, and went in hot. We didn't have any way to open communications, so all we could do was move in fast..."

"Ray had sent Jenny for his two way..." Reid remembered. "We heard shots..."

"She opened fire on us when we pulled in. She was running for the bomb shelter. One of the locals shot her, she didn't make it..." Morgan shook his head, feeling his hands shake slightly, remembering the adrenaline pumping fast as he'd moved down into the shelter.

"I got to the bottom of the stairs, heard the shot..." he looked over at Scarlett. "She'd cleared her secondary and killed him as he went down with you. Clean shot..." he met Reid's eyes. "He went down, but not before he'd tried to gut you. When I'd gotten to you both, she was working to stop the blood."

Derek closed his eyes, saw the blood again, saw Scarlett in a near hysteria as she had fought to keep herself lucid.

"The medics got you both here... Scarlett needed some stitches, she has a cracked rib... but they had to take you right in for surgery. They brought an ER doc into the surgery waiting room to fix her up. She wouldn't leave," Morgan smiled and shook his head.

"Half the staff here is afraid of her. They can't wait until you leave so she'll go away."

Reid laughed, but it hurt so he tried to hold it in. "I can imagine," he muttered, his face contorting a bit in the pain. "Don't make me laugh," he told Morgan.

"I'll try," he smirked.

"How did she get to her weapon?" Reid asked, using Morgan's knowledge of what happened to fill in the blanks.

"She said she'd loosened the ropes. She was able to pull her arms forward- dislocated her shoulder..."

Reid scowled.

"It's not the first time, kid. She's double jointed or something, manages to twist herself out of stuff like Houdini," Morgan told him. "The doctor checked her out. She's fine..."

"Better condition than you are," he added as he watched Reid shift uncomfortably. "Are you sure you don't want me to get the nurse?" Derek asked.

"Yeah," Spencer muttered. "I'm sure. I'll be okay."

"Alright," Morgan allowed. "I'm going to call the others. I'll be back... Try and get some rest," he told him.

"I'll try..." Reid agreed, turning his head slightly towards Scarlett. He breathed in the scent of her, feeling himself relax.

He was asleep before Morgan even left the room.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Spencer stood at the bottom of the staircase, leaning on a cane. He swore softly under his breath at the ache that still burned through him when he lifted his leg up onto the step.

Scarlett shouldered their luggage and waited behind him.

"Please stop doing that," he groused, a scowl covering his face.

Scarlett rolled her eyes behind his back. Dr. Reid was becoming a sure and steady pain in her ass.

"I'm not doing anything, _Reid_," she said sweetly. Too sweetly.

"You are _hovering_," he snapped. He heard Scarlett sigh and she moved past him on the stairs.

She covered the distance to their apartment, tossed the bags inside and returned to the staircase as Spencer made it to the first level. She stood on the flight above him and waited. When he looked up at her and scowled again, she turned her back and stepped up a few more stairs.

"This is ridiculous," he complained, sweat beading his forehead as he finally reached the top of the staircase.

"Spencer. It's only been a week..." she reminded him.

"Scarlett. It's been a week..." he said, voice full of attitude.

"Oh. My. God." she breathed out a huff of air as she followed him into the apartment. "Who knew you'd be such a big ass baby when you were hurt..." she muttered.

"What?!" he watched her move into the living room, where she tossed some pillows onto the couch.

"Sit down, Reid, before you fall down..."

"I'm don't want to sit," he pouted. "I'm tired of sitting..." he complained, his voice taking on a higher tone. He pressed his lips together tightly.

Scarlett pressed her fingers to her eyes. "Oh. My. God." she repeated. "You are _whining_..." she shot him a look.

"I am _not_!" and slammed his mouth shut again as soon as he said it.

She couldn't help herself. She started laughing.

Reid scowled darkly. "Fine. Laugh at the invalid," he griped, tossing the cane to the side of the couch. He moved to sit down, gingerly.

"Fuck!" he breathed out as the pain shot through his midsection.

Scarlett moved into his line of sight. He looked up at her.

"It wouldn't hurt as bad, if you'd let me help," she handed him a glass of water and some pills.

He took them, eying them up suspiciously.

"Oh, for fuck's sake, Reid. It's Tylenol. I'm not trying to freaking poison you. _Yet_," she amended. "Keep this up, and I'll suffocate you in your sleep."

"Nice," he said, swallowing down the pills.

Scarlett leveled herself to meet his eyes. "I am. Being very, _very_ nice... the fact that you are still breathing is proof of that," she warned him.

Reid dropped his gaze from hers, looking away from her face. Scarlett shook her head.

"What do you want me to do, Spencer?" she asked. "I can't help you heal quicker. I would, trust me, if I could. All I can do is try to help. But you won't let me..."

"I don't want help," he complained. He sighed, pressing his hands against his face. "I don't want to _need_ help," he corrected. "I don't like this, Scarlett. I don't know how to deal with this..."

"I don't know how to deal with this either, farm boy. I hate seeing you in pain. I hate seeing you struggle... the doctors told us it would take at least a month for a full recovery..."

"It can't take a month. I can't let it take a month... What am I supposed to do for a month? Sit around the apartment?" he bit out. "What about work? What if we get a case?" he snapped.

"Spence, you know you've been put on medical leave..." she watched his face turn dark.

"And you aren't..." he interrupted, quickly biting back the words as they escaped his mouth. His face heated and he looked away from her eyes again.

Scarlett watched him closely. The set of his jaw, the anger simmering underneath his eyes... she sighed and sat beside him. Reaching out to take his hand, she linked her fingers through his and held tightly.

"What is this really about farm boy?" she asked him softly. "Talk to me."

When he looked over at her, she saw the fear there. He quickly covered it up with anger.

"Nothing, it's not important," he muttered.

"You are not acting like yourself..."

"I'm in pain," he argued. "I'm not feeling like myself."

"And..."

"And I'm stuck. I can barely make it up a flight of stairs into the apartment. I can't even stand from the couch by myself," he groused. "I can't go into work... if we catch a case, you'll have to go, I can't..."

"Protect me." she finished his sentence when he dropped the words.

"I didn't say that," he told her. "You're putting words in my mouth..."

Scarlett moved a little closer to him. "You think I can't see what's written all over your face?" she asked. "You're worried..."

She reached over and cupped his chin, forcing him to look into her eyes.

"Now, tell me... what can we do about it?"

Spencer watched her. She could see his mind working on the words, unable to bring them out. Scarlett pulled out her phone and dialed.

"Who are you calling?" he asked, eyes widening.

She flipped the phone onto speaker, and he heard Penelope's voice.

"What's up, sweetling?"

"Pens, how much time do I have open?" she asked. Spencer opened his mouth to protest, then closed it. He realized she did know what he'd wanted.

"Beyond this week, medical?" Garcia chirped.

"Yeah, total..." she watched Reid's eyes narrow.

"Four weeks, kiddo. You want me to put you in for it? You know Hotch told you to take all the time you two needed..."

"Set it up, Penny. I'll come back in once Spence is released. Just keep us in the loop if the team catches a call..."

"Will do... Catch ya later!" she said cheerfully as she disconnected the call.

Scarlett tossed the phone onto the table.

"Does that help?" she asked, looking at Spencer.

He cast his gaze down, feeling selfish. "Yeah."

"Feeling better?" she grinned slightly.

"I feel childish," he complained. "We're leaving the team down by two now..."

"You aren't... They'll be fine, Spence," she leaned over, resting her chin on his shoulder. He turned his face to meet hers, kissing her lips lightly.

He closed his eyes, lifting his hand to trace her jaw. Shifting closer, he took her lips again, stroking her neck, deepening the kiss.

He heard her drag a breath in through her nose and felt her pull away.

Scarlett watched the sullen look move back into his eyes.

"Reid..."

His scowl darkened.

"Spencer..." she tried again. "Come on, boy... you aren't seriously thinking..."

"Shut up," he ground out.

Scarlett leveled a scalding look in his direction. "I take it back. You are being childish..."

"Because I'm upset that you won't touch me?"

"Because you're... that's not it at all..." she stopped her direction of thought and snapped at him, exasperated.

"You're _horny_... You're such a man!" she rolled her eyes and moved away from him.

"Make up your mind..." he told her churlishly. "Am I a child, or a man?"

"Both," she snapped back, meeting his angry glare evenly. "Childish man..."

"Come closer and say that," he told her, leaning forward. The movement caused a ripple of pain.

"Fuck..." he swore softly, pissed off at himself.

Scarlett's face moved into concern. "Are you okay?" she asked, kneeling before him.

"No..." he breathed through his teeth. "No... this fucking sucks," he told her, grabbing her quickly before she moved out of his reach. He yanked her forward, ignoring the pain that stabbed him. He tucked her between his legs, pinning her.

"Spence. You're going to hurt yourself," she warned him.

"Don't pull away," he told her, wrapping his hands into her hair. "Scarlett..." he moved her closer so she was tucked into the vee of his legs. "Stay..." he said softly, lowering his head to meet her lips.

Scarlett held herself stiffly in his arms, chastely returning the kiss. He growled slightly at her reluctance, edging closer, tightening his fist at the back of her neck, tugging.

"Stop it," she told him. He opened his eyes, watched hers darken as he moved his other hand to cup her breast.

"Stop what?" he asked, nipping softly at her chin. "This?" he asked softly, brushing his hand over her t-shirt. She arched slightly.

"Spence... please. We... can't- I'm afraid to hurt you..." she told him. Scarlett opened her eyes to meet his smoldering ones.

"I'm not hurting Scarlett," he told her, moving his hands to cup her face, dragging her back to his kiss. "Not how you mean anyway..." he nipped at her jaw, felt her tremble.

"You're trying to seduce me," she told him, pulling back slightly.

"Is it working?" he asked with a slight grin. He trailed kisses along her neck, moving under her ear. He heard the purr rise in the back of her throat. "I think it's working..."

"Spencer, seriously. We can't do this..."

"Why not?" he whispered in her ear.

"Jesus," her head buzzed with the sound of his voice, chills skittering across her skin.

Scarlett met his mouth for a searing kiss. She moved up from his lap, straddling his legs as she leaned over him, pressing him back against the couch. She tried to angle away from his abdomen, where she knew most of the stitches lay, but he dragged her back down, riding his hips.

"I think this could work," he huffed out on a heavy breath. He groaned as she rocked against him.

"Is that good or bad?" she stilled herself, watching his face.

"Jesus... good... Katy, please," he looked up at her. "I need you..."

Scarlett watched his eyes. "Don't move," she warned him. She shifted off his lap and stripped off her pants, moving to do the same to him.

"I can't promise anything..." he shuddered as she ran her hand up his leg.

"Then I'll stop..." she warned him, moving to straddle his hips again.

"God, no..." he pleaded.

"Then stay still," she told him, sliding his length inside her. "This shouldn't take long,"

she teased, leaning over to kiss his lips. He moaned softy into her mouth and she felt her muscles clench in response to the sound.

His hips bucked and she stilled him with her knees gripping his legs.

"Still," she repeated. "I'll do the work," she grinned slightly, pulling him close again.

Reid dropped his head against her neck, biting lightly at her muscles along her collarbone. He tensed up, feeling a brief shock of pain that passed quickly as the orgasm took over.

Sweating, pressed against her, trying to hold back as he felt her reach the peak with him. He held her a moment longer, riding the wave, before he felt her settle back.

"You okay?" she asked quietly, pressing her lips against his forehead.

"Uh.. yeah," he groaned slightly. "More than... Don't keep asking," he told her. He lifted his head and reached for her lips.

Scarlett brushed his hair back from his forehead, meeting his kiss.

"Feeling better?" she teased.

Spencer grinned evilly. "A little. Maybe more," he snagged her hips, rocking her slightly against him.

She chuckled softly. "You're insatiable," she told him.

"Mmm-hmm," he agreed, pressing a line of kisses to her neck. "Pretty much..."

"If this sets your recovery back any, it'll be my fault," she touched his face lightly.

"I. Don't. Care..." he kissed her again. Scarlett laughed, pulling back.

"Such a man," she teased. She opened the buttons of his shirt and trailed her fingers over his wounds.

"I'm fine, Scarlett..." he told her, watching her eyes scan the stitches. "I'm not bleeding. Nothing broke open..."

Scarlett tilted her head a bit. "I need to check," she told him. "I give a little, you give a little, that's how this works."

Spencer settled back against the pillows, waiting for her to finish her examination. He pulled up the edges of her t-shirt, tugging it over her head.

"Spence..." she warned as he stretched, pulling his sutures.

"I get to check yours too," he told her, throwing her concern back at her. "You have cuts too..." he stated, running his fingers over some stitches by her collarbone.

Scarlett sighed, shifting slightly as he continued to look her over.

"I'm fine," she tossed back at him, grinning. Concern wavered over his face.

"I've been so wound up with feeling sorry for myself... I didn't even think about you," he stated softly, looking at the lines across her chest. "I'm sorry..." he met her eyes.

"Hey, it's okay pretty boy. I really am fine. Just a few nicks, really," she told him. "You took the worst of it." Scarlett moved her hands down his chest.

Reid saw tears gather in her eyes and sighed.

"Scarlett," he said her name softly. "Don't cry. Please. Your tears rip me apart," he breathed out, gathering her closer. "Please."

She drew in a deep breath, pulling herself back together. "Sorry. I just..."

"I know. But it's alright now. I'm alright..."

Scarlett nodded, tried to smile. "Okay. So we are both alright, and we have to deal with each other for a month," she switched her tone to teasing. "What do you want to do first?"

Spencer smirked. "We already took care of that... unless you're ready to go again?"

She rolled her eyes and pushed him back slightly. "Down boy..." she laughed, moving off his lap. "Maybe we should get something to eat first..."

As she stepped back and turned Reid tugged at her hand.

"Thanks..." he said quietly.

Scarlett looked back at him, quirking an eyebrow.

"For jumping your bones?" she smiled. "Happy to oblige, farm boy..."

Spencer laughed and shook his head. "Yeah, well, that too- but mostly for putting up with me... not suffocating me in my sleep and all..." he teased back.

"Ahh, but the night's still young, Reid..." she grinned, heading into the kitchen to grab take out menus.

"I may kill you yet..." she threw over her shoulder as moved through the apartment stark assed naked.

"Probably a good bet..." he said to himself, as he rubbed his hand over his heart and watched her.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Reid felt the air surrounding him heavy with the scent of dirt and sweat. He shivered, smelled his own fear mixing in, as he squinted under the light that hung singularly in the dark room. He knew where he was, he remembered... and he didn't want to be here. Not now, not ever again.

He sucked in a breath as he heard the footsteps, anger and grief and fear swimming in his head. His fear angered him the most... he wasn't the same, he wouldn't be scared any more... he shouldn't be scared... but it hung on, and it shamed him. He whimpered.

The voice raged in his head. Voices... he corrected. Which would it be this time? Pain or oblivion? Tobias or his father? Spencer pulled himself away from the pain. It was too much.

"I can't..." he mumbled, twisting in bed, pulling against the sheets.

Scarlett woke immediately and turned to him, watching his face contort in pain.

"Hey, Spence..." she said softly, touching his arm. He jerked away and another spasm of pain flooded him.

Reid felt the pain rip. "No more, please... I swear, I'll do anything..." he hated how weak he sounded, the pleading tone to his voice. He knew it wasn't right. But he had no choice. The pain was too much...

_Confess your sins!_

"I'm not a sinner!" he yelled. Scarlett backed up a bit when he pulled himself forward and doubled up in pain.

"Spencer!" she moved in front of him, trying to push him back down.

"No!" he shouted at her, his eyes blank. "I have nothing to confess!"

He sucked in a painful breath, seeing Tobias in his mind. "No, please... I don't want the drugs... I don't need them..." he told the image, even as he felt the needle slide and burn. Into the oblivion.

Scarlett saw his eyes roll back into his head.

"God damn it Spence," she lay him back onto the bed. "Don't you do this..." she pushed at him. "It's just a dream. They can't hurt you, farm boy. They aren't here. I am!" she yelled at him.

Shoving her hair back off her face, she leaned over him.

"I'm here, Spencer. Stay with _me_..."

He felt himself floating in the nothingness. No pain, no thoughts... it was blissful. He needed to stay here, away from the pain. The needle was good... it was, peace.

"Stay with me..."

He heard her voice before he saw her. She was walking towards him, as if coming through a mist into the nothing.

_You can't be here_, he thought. _This isn't a part of you.._

Scarlett heard him.

"Anything that is a part of you, Spencer Reid, is a part of me..." she told him firmly, refusing to let him push her out of his mind.

She stood before him in that empty place. He could see her, clearly, in the dark, standing out in a long white gown. Her feet were bare, surrounded in a mist. He shied away from it, knowing that if he got too close the pain would come back.

_Are you an angel?_ he asked. The smile on her face was genuine with surprise.

"Only to you..." she laughed quietly, shaking her head. Moving closer, Scarlett looked into his eyes.

"Where are you, Spence?" she asked quietly, stroking his cheek.

_Nowhere... in the nothing. It's good here,_ he told her. _No pain. He promised it would take away the pain, and it does... I don't have to feel anything here..._his vision wavered a moment when he felt her touch. Warmth burned him, bringing in the pain and he pulled away from it, afraid. _I need the drugs_... _It will help_... _I know_...

"No one would blame you for taking the drugs the doctor offered you, Spencer," she told him gently. "I can get them for you, now, if you want."

He shook his head negatively.

_I'm an addict_... _I can't take the drugs_, he said to the vision. _I didn't want them_..._ he, Tobias... he made me take them... but then I chose to keep taking them. Because I was weak... I didn't want the pain..._ he told her, his voice sounding confused. _I don't want the pain... _he cried out, feeling the tear in his abdomen. _Please, make it stop..._he begged her.

"I can't promise you no pain, Reid. Life has pain. You can't have both. You can't feel the good, without the bad," she told him softly.

He sucked in a breath. It hurt. He backed away from her.

_I can't. It's too much._

Scarlett leaned away from him on the bed. His skin shone with the sweat of exertion that the pain was pulling from him. It hurt her to see him like this. Frightened. Wounded.

"Spencer," she called to him. "Come back to me farm boy. I need you. I love you..." she coaxed him, trying to drag him out of the dream.

She left the bedroom long enough to get a cool washcloth and some ointment from the bathroom.

"Here," she told him quietly. "Let me help..."

He listened to her voice. Something cool touched his skin, bringing back the pain, but lessening it. She sang softly, he heard her... saw her moving before him... and he reached out for her, pulling her closer, meeting her lips with his own.

Scarlett knelt over him, bathing his face with the cloth. When he reached for her, she shifted, allowing him access to her mouth.

"Come back to me, lover..." she whispered softly. "You don't belong there. You belong with me..." Trailing her fingers lightly over his cheeks and along his jaw, she pulled him back to her.

She saw pain etch on his face as he moved out of the dream. His eyes cleared, even as his breathing sped up, hitching on the agony of the pain. He panted heavily, feeling as though he would pass out again.

"Breathe slower, farm boy," she told him gently. "Come on... easy now..."

He leaned back and followed her example.

"In through your nose, breathe out slowly... That's right..." she told him. "Slow, steady breaths... work through the pain..." she nuzzled him gently, offering light kisses to his mouth.

"It hurts," he whispered, his body shaking with the pain. Sweat covered his face.

Scarlett brushed his hair back from his forehead, watching his eyes. Clearer now. Following her.

"I know, baby..." she touched him carefully, easing the tangle of sheets from his chest. "Let me see," she told him. "Let me help..."

Spencer released his grip on the covers. He moaned against the pain as she removed the bandages over his chest. She swallowed her own heartbreak at seeing the welts against his skin.

"I have this," she held up a jar from the nightstand. "Its a gel... I made it myself. It'll cool the burn, Spence... help the pain, prevent infection..." she told him as she opened the jar, watching his eyes. "It's all herbal... no drugs, okay?"

He nodded, closing his eyes and fighting off a wave of nausea. He tried not to clench his jaw.

Scarlett brushed his cheek again, bringing his eyes back to hers.

"Ride it out, Spence," she told him, leaning in again to meet his lips. "It'll pass..."

He sucked in a breath, the sound hissing through his teeth, but let it out slowly. "'Kay," he mumbled, trusting her.

She moved over the wounds, working to set the cooling gel on them, praying that it would help stave off the pain, to some extent. She knew a topical wouldn't help with the internal injuries, but it would hopefully lessen the magnitude, over all. When she finished, she saw his face looked a little more relaxed as he breathed a sigh of relief.

He opened his eyes to look at her. "Sorry," he tried to say, his voice still thick.

Scarlett shook her head. "Don't, Spence..." she told him gently. He had nothing to apologize for.

"I have some tea that might help you sleep more comfortably, too, if you want to try it," she moved to cap the lid back on the jar.

"You make this stuff yourself?" he tried his voice again. It came a little stronger this time.

"Yes. It's all herbal- natural," she shrugged. "I dabble... it's useful to have around."

"Yeah... I'll try anything..." he said, meeting her gaze. He felt his face heat slightly.

"What was I saying, uh, before... What did I say out loud?" he asked her, embarrassed, now that the worst had passed. He wasn't even sure if he'd spoken, or if everything had been in his mind.

Scarlett saw the pink tinge his ears. She smiled, using humor to lighten the mood.

"Oh, just that you were my eternal love slave..." she patted his face. "Nothing we hadn't already established," she teased, not wanting to have him think about it right now. "Let me brew you that tea..." she kissed him lightly on the brow as she stood to leave.

Spencer breathed in easier this time. The pain was subsiding.

By the time Scarlett had returned with the tea, it had moved into a manageable ache. She handed him the mug.

"This will help the inflammation," she told him. "I added a natural analgesic and some herbs that will help you sleep."

Spencer took the cup and drank half. "It's not bad," he gave her a half of a smile. "What's in it?"

"It's Jamaican Dogwood, cinnamon and chamomile," Scarlett told him. "I hope it helps," she reached over and took the mug when he finished it. Setting it over on the nightstand, she moved to sit beside him.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked, taking his hand.

He sat for a moment, looking at his fingers threaded into hers. Pulling her back against his shoulder, Spencer held her, laying his cheek against her hair.

"I dreamed I was back in that shed," he said quietly, breathing in the smell of her. "When I was held captive by Hankle..." he clarified. "I haven't had a nightmare about those days in a long time," he told her.

Scarlett angled a bit so she could see his face. His brows were knit in a small scowl.

"I guess, when I think about it, I can figure out the reasons why it came back," he shrugged, annoyed with himself. "I just couldn't stop it."

She took his hand in hers, drawing her fingers across his in a soft motion, waiting for him to continue. He blew out a quick breath, diving in, pulling out details he'd long buried about that part of his past and shared it with her.

Scarlett listened, hearing the fear and anger in his voice and more- the self-punishment- his irritation of what he considered his own weaknesses.

When he'd finished the story, he looked down into Scarlett's eyes.

"I don't use drugs, anymore. You know that. I won't even take prescription narcotics. I'm afraid to. I'm afraid I can get hooked on those too," he told her, sharing some of his fears.

She brushed her hand lightly down his arm. "Then you don't have to," she told him. "I can help, some. But you have to rest, Spence. You can't push yourself too hard. I know it's frustrating, but you need time to recover."

When he only grunted in response, she smiled crookedly. She moved over to his side, pulling her pillow closer to him.

"Lay down with me, farm boy," she made an opening beside her. He rested his head against her shoulder, his face buried against her neck. Scarlett ran her hand over his hair, stroking him.

He closed his eyes, feeling her surround him. He pressed a kiss against her pulse, letting his thoughts drift into sleep.

Scarlett lay awake, holding him, humming softly.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Spencer worked with the resistance bands Scarlett picked up for him. He added to his physical therapy daily, pushing to speed up his recovery.

Just under three weeks, and he was almost back to normal. He felt a twinge in his side as he pulled left. Almost... he reminded himself. He backed off from that position.

He picked up his head when he heard the door open. Scarlett entered the apartment, carrying bags and he moved to help her. He took some of the groceries from her hands, setting them on the counter.

Scarlett eyes up his raggedy gym shorts, sweaty t shirt and bare feet. "You aren't supposed to be over doing it, farm boy," she warned. "You pushed yourself this morning at PT and the therapist already told you about it..."

"I'm doing good," he told her, snagging a bottle of water from the fridge. "Look, I think I'm getting abs..." he joked, lifted the hem of the ancient tee over his stomach.

Scarlett laughed, trailing her fingers up his muscles. "Definitely getting ripped there, Dr. Reid," she teased, raising up onto her toes for a kiss before transferring items from the bags. She tossed him a pack of pre-made chocolate pudding that she'd picked up on his request.

"Sweet!" he ripped open the container and grabbed a spoon. Leaning back against the counter, he watched her as she put the other items away. He peeked into a bag.

"Did you pick up the Pop Tarts?" he asked, looking over at her.

Scarlett rolled her eyes. "Yes, boy..." she poked him, moving him out of the way. She reached in one of the bags and pulled out the box.

"I also remembered your cereal," she teased him, shaking a box of Cocoa Puffs before putting them in the cupboard. "You're never going to see any abs with all this preprocessed sugar," she teased him.

Spencer grinned, pulling out a cherry tart. "Abs are over-rated," he tossed back. When she turned, he snagged the edge of her shirt and lifted it, sneaking a peek at her trim stomach. "On me anyway," he winked, brushing his thumb over the pentacle that dangled from her navel today.

"Mmm-hmm," she nudged him back a step. Spencer put his hands at her waist and lifted her easily onto the countertop. "Down boy..." she warned, splaying her hand against his chest to push him back as he moved in to kiss her. "We've got groceries to put away..." she told him, handing him a bag.

Reid put it aside. "It can wait," he told her, stepping between her legs. "I don't think we christened these countertops yet," he teased, nipping her jaw.

"I'm pretty sure we did," she responded, tilting her head back to give him better access to her neck.

"I don't remember," he lied, running his tongue against her throat.

"Sure you don't," she laughed, running her fingers through the top of his hair. She gripped it lightly, pulling his face up to hers. She scissored his hips between her thighs.

"So..." angled herself against him. "I was thinking..."

Spencer grinned. "Nothing good ever comes from that," he leaned over her, smiling into her eyes. "Let me help you stop..." he said, reaching back to unhook her bra.

Scarlett leaned back, pushing against his chest again. "Reid, seriously..." she laughed.

He rolled his eyes, letting his hands drop. "Scarlett..." he mimicked her tone, but let her scoot away from him. He heaved an exaggerated sigh. Tucking his hands back, he turned around to look at her.

"What were you thinking, crazy girl?"

She lifted some of the vegetables from a bag, setting them into the refrigerator.

"End of the month is Samhain," she told him. "I was wondering if you felt up to a night out?" she asked.

Spencer nodded. "I love Halloween. I'd be good to get out... Where did you want to go?"

"Rossi's throwing a party," she told him. "I hadn't mentioned it, because I wasn't sure how you'd feel... if you'd be up for it..."

"Scarlett, I'm just about going stir crazy..."

"You'll be off medical next week- and back to work," she reminded him.

"Right, but I'm still going crazy... and we haven't even had any cases, other than some referrals," Reid shrugged. "Not enough to keep me busy..."

"I know," and she did. She'd been trying to find things to keep him occupied for a week now. It hadn't been easy.

"So, call Dave and tell him we'll come..." he told her. "I get to pick the costumes though..." he informed her with a grin.

"Oh, no... I didn't agree to that," she laughed. "You'll have me dressed as a mustard bottle to your ketchup or something..."

Spencer shook his head. "I was thinking Naughty Nurse, I'll be the patient... I've been practicing," he grinned wickedly.

"No," she told him flatly. "I think not."

He poked her ribs, corralling her against the fridge.

"How about a wicked witch?" he earned a raised eyebrow from her. "No? No warts... Okay, I got it... What about an angel and a devil?" he teased, pulling her against him once again.

Scarlett sighed. "You are a nutcase," she laughed, letting him drag her over to the couch. When he sat and pulled her across his lap, she pinned him back, grinding against him. When he groaned, she bit his lip.

"I'm the devil," she told him with a smirk. "Or no deal..."

Spencer chuckled, gripping her hips and pulling her closer. "I won't argue with the logic behind that..." he told her. "You, Katy Scarlett, are sin, personified in a small package."

She leaned over him, watching his eyes as she stripped off her top. The curve of the red lace over her breasts left little to the imagination.

"Don't be forgetting that, boy," her voice lowered to take on a husky quality. He felt his blood speed up.

"Jesus," he breathed out as she pressed against him.

Scarlett laughed. "Nope... other direction," she teased, shimmying out of her pants.

Spencer groaned again, pushing her back onto the couch, covering her with his body. She arched against him, yanking his shirt over his head. He slid the straps of her bra off her shoulders, exposing her breasts.

Scarlett felt him bite lightly at her nipples, running his tongue after to soothe. She struggled for a breath of air when he ground his hips against her, feeling his need press along her thigh.

She heard the tap of shoes outside the door even as she heard the knock before the handle turned. Moving quickly she bumped Spencer back off of her and flipped her bra back in place. The look of confusion on his face was priceless, but she didn't stop to explain. The door wasn't locked...

"Freeze Pens!" Scarlett hollered out as the door opened. "Turn around, two minutes..." she ordered.

"Ugh, geez guys, for crying out loud, its early in the day!" Garcia complained, but turned her back to watch the door.

"Hence the term, 'nooner', Penny, duh," Scarlett joked. She looked at the scowl on Spencer's face as he straightened out his shorts and grabbed his shirt, pulling it over his head.

She grabbed her pants, tugging them up over her hips and picked up her shirt, leaning over to give Reid a quick kiss on the lips. "Sorry," she whispered to him with a grin.

"Okay, Pen, all clear," she told her as she headed to the bathroom. Spencer eyed Scarlett's retreating back as she pulled her shirt on.

Garcia came into his line of sight, sporting a cheeky smile. "Sorry lover boy. Didn't mean to interrupt your nookie time," she teased.

Spencer's face darkened. "A few minutes later, you'd have wished you'd knocked," he reprimanded her.

"I did knock," she responded. "You just didn't hear me... If this is going to be your habit, I won't knock and walk anymore," she stated by way of apology.

Reid cocked his head slightly. "It's a habit... wait anymore..." he warned.

Scarlett laughed as she came back in the room. "Quit being cranky, farm boy. We'll finish later," she poked him in the ribs and sat back down on the couch beside him.

"What's up, Pens?" she asked.

Penelope shook her head. "I need you to help me with something," she told Scarlett.

Spencer stood up and went into the kitchen to finish his pop tart and grab his bottle of water.

"...so I was hoping you could help her get pregnant..." was all he heard when he'd returned to the room. He half choked on his water.

"I don't think she's equipped for that..." he said on a cough. Scarlett smirked.

"Funny, farm boy... but you missed the most important parts of the convo," she teased. Looking at Garcia, she gave her an answer.

"I'll need some time to get the stuff together," Scarlett shrugged slightly. "But I can get it to you for tomorrow," she told her.

Spencer's brow knitted. "What are you doing?" he asked her confused.

"Just a simple ritual, a fertility spell..." she told him. "Penny's friend is having trouble conceiving..."

She watched the skepticism move across his face. "And you can help?" he asked.

"I will help," Scarlett corrected. "No negativity allowed, Reid. I'll do the ritual, give her a tea that has been blessed, and it will help..."

Garcia pulled her into a hug. "Great! I'm meeting Amanda for lunch, so I'll tell her you're helping. I love you, girlie!" she squeezed her harder. "I told her you would, if you could... she's already asked what you'd want to do it, money-wise..." she moved back a little, patting Scarlett's shoulder. "And I already told her you'd refuse... she's insisting."

"Fine," Scarlett told her. "Tell her to make a donation to a children's hospital... time value or cash. But if she could volunteer... It'd make better karma," she explained. "That'll be my payment. For majick to work, money can't be the motivation, you know that Pens. Explain it to your friend..."

"Oh, good one," Garcia nodded. "Okay, gotta run... I'll drop by tomorrow when it's finished, get to her." Penelope hugged Scarlett once more. "She's going to be thrilled! Bye guys!"

Spencer watched Scarlett follow Penelope to the door. "Bye," he responded, leaning back onto the couch.

When Scarlett came back, he nabbed her onto his lap again. "Where were we?" he asked, teasing her.

Scarlett patted his shoulder. "We are going to be putting a hold on where we were... temporarily," she laughed, moving off his lap. "Fertility spell first..." she told him. "I need to change..."

Spencer groaned and lay face first into the couch. "Are you joking? Please?" he asked her.

She stopped in the door way of the bedroom. "I'm not joking, Spence. I take my beliefs and the practice very seriously boy," she told him quietly.

He sat up, hearing the tone change in her voice.

"I didn't mean it to sound like... That is..." he stumbled over the words.

Scarlett nodded. "I know Spencer," she moved into the bedroom.

Moving off the couch quickly, he followed her. When he reached her side, he took her by the arm.

"No, you don't know, Scarlett. Don't assume I was being closed minded," he told her, turning her to look at him. "I don't know much about how you practice, about your craft- you don't share much about it," he confessed. "But I'm not shutting you out..."

She watched his eyes. "No, I guess you aren't..." she blew out a breath. "I'm just private about it, Spence. I'm a solitary witch... It's personal, not something I share..." when he only nodded and released her hand, she felt his resignation. He'd leave her be, if she asked. He'd not intrude...

So she took his hand again, pulling him back.

"Would you like to see, Dr. Reid?" she asked shyly.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Spencer watched as the woman he loved performed her ritual. She'd lent him her book, her grimoire, she'd explained. Hand written, 'recipes', basically, Reid thought of them as, for teas, creams, scents and charms. He looked through it, followed the concepts of the rites and found it quite detailed.

She'd promised to answer questions afterward, so he sat quietly, as to not disturb her. He'd had to promise not to interrupt, touch her, or break the circle she'd cast. He'd been clear on those details, agreeing, because he'd wanted her to share this part of her with him. She'd told him she had never, ever, allowed anyone to watch her practice before him. He wanted the chance.

Promises scattered somewhere in his mind, when, after she cast the circle, she dropped her white robes and continued 'sky-clad'. He hadn't realized that meant _nude_.

His mouth dried, his blood pounded in his ears as he watched.

Scarlett moved through the circle she'd cast in the room. She'd set about performing the ritual, placing herbs, lighting candles, saying the words that were second nature to her, just as she had any other time. Except she had an audience. It made her nervous and she worked hard to ignore him. Doubling her efforts, she continued on, even as his presence heated the room.

After the ritual was completed, she closed the circle, taking the herbs to her altar and setting them there for blessing. Tomorrow she'd make the tea and give it to Penelope. She braided a hemp rope into a charm for Amanda as an added 'bump' and set it with the drying herbs.

She'd done what she could, the rest would be up to the gods and nature.

Scarlett pulled her robe back over her shoulders, snuffed out the candles and looked over her shoulder at Spencer.

"Do you have any questions, farm boy?" she asked with a slight smile. His face was still watching in rapt attention and she figured he hadn't missed a detail.

"Um, probably?" he answered thickly, clearing his throat. "I can't think of a single one right now, though..." he told her honestly. "That was, uh, intense..."

She cocked her head to the side and looked him over. "It's really not so different from other religious rituals, when you break it down," she told him.

"For me, it was..." he stated. She could see the gleam in his eyes.

"Well," she bit her lip nervously. "It was a fertility ritual... it's meant to have sexual overtones," she explained.

"Scarlett..." his voice caught her attention and she met his gaze once again.

"Yes?"

"Can I touch you yet?" he asked, jamming his hands in his pockets in case the answer was 'no'.

Scarlett laughed. "Yes, boy... I'm finished..." she stepped away from the altar, moving closer to him.

He caught her waist and pulled her against him, leaning in to kiss her.

"No questions then?" she giggled, as he growled lightly in her ear.

"Not at the moment..." he answered, his breath heavy on her neck.

He pulled her up into his arms, lifting her against his body.

"I want you in bed..." he mumbled, pressing his lips over her skin. He pulled away a moment to look into her eyes. "Is that disrespectful?" he asked cautiously.

"No, Spence," she shook her head. "I think after a fertility ritual, it's expected," she teased. "The goddess would be pleased..."

He hiked her up onto his hips, carrying her out of the room towards their bedroom. When he stopped by the front door to slide the lock into place she laughed.

"No interruptions," he told her, nuzzling her hair. "Not this time..."

When he lay her down on the bed, he pulled the robe from her shoulders, baring her skin once again. His eyes looked her over, making her blush.

Scarlett covered herself, shying away slightly from the intensity in his eyes.

Reid shook his head, pulling her hands to her side. "Sky-clad," he said huskily.

He trailed his fingers along her skin, watching her sensitive flesh jump. He followed with his mouth, heat searing through her body under his touch. She arched against him, allowing a whimper to escape her throat.

The sound spurred him, coiling a thread of lust through his system. He felt her skin heat, and blew a breath across her breasts, watched chills raise on her flesh. He grinned, teasing her with his mouth until she moaned.

Raising himself above her, he drew her to him, connecting them.

Her immediate response took him by surprise. She wrapped her legs behind his waist, pulling him deeper, as she came.

Spencer held himself in check, filling her, as she bowed against him. Breathing heavily, he moved slowly, drawing out the pleasure until he couldn't help but follow her.

Spent, he collapsed on shaky arms to lay against her. When he tried to move off her, she held him tight.

"No, don't move," she mumbled.

He shifted slightly and felt her teeth nip into his shoulder.

"Stay..." she demanded and felt him laugh.

Scarlett breathed in his scent, stretching against him. He lay over her, reaching over the bed with his long arms.

"Where are you going, Spence?" she complained.

"I'm not 'going' anywhere, beautiful," he told her dropping a kiss to her nose. "I'm reaching for something," he told her.

"What?" she narrowed her gaze, turning her head back to look.

"Nope," he laughed, watching her eyes glitter in the filtering light. "Not yet, crazy girl..." he kept her head blocked with his arms.

"What are you up to, farm boy?" she asked, feigning annoyance.

"It's a surprise... something I wanted to give you before we got called away to Alaska," he told her. He leaned up on his elbows, showing her his hands. She saw they were empty.

Scarlett arched a brow.

"Nothing up my sleeve," he teased and nuzzled her cheek when she rolled her eyes.

"You aren't wearing any sleeves, Reid..." she countered. "Or anything else..." she gave him a smirk as she ran her hand down to his ass and smacked him lightly.

He grinned and pulled his hand from the side of her hair.

"Then where was this hiding?" he smiled, pulling out the ring he'd bought in Chicago.

Spencer watched her eyes round as she looked from the ring to his face.

"Spence..." her voice was cautious.

He moved to the side and pulled her to him.

"You know what, Scarlett?" he asked in a light tone, cuddling her close and kissing her temple. "You look adorable when you get scared..."

His words earned him a scathing look.

"I'm not scared of a ring, Reid..." she scowled.

Spencer scooted up to angle a look directly in her eyes. "And..." he continued blithely, "One day, I am going to ask you to marry me..." he watched as her eyes closed and she huffed out a breath at the words.

"But not today..." he said, leaning closer to press a kiss to the furrows between her brows. "One day, when you aren't afraid of even hearing the words, but not now," he shook his head. Spencer didn't want her closing up on him, so he kept his tone light.

He held the ring up in front of her.

"This, instead, is a promise," he turned the ring to show the engraving along the inside of the band.

"_Pour tous les temps_..."she read, leaning her head back against his chest.

"You can't promise me forever, Spence," she stated quietly. He heard the sadness in her voice.

"For all time, Scarlett. That's what I promise... I will love you for all time..." he held the ring out to her.

"Can you accept that?" he asked, pressing his cheek to hers and wrapping his arm around her chest. He could feel her heart pounding against her ribs.

She lifted her hand to his and he slid the ring onto her finger.

"It fits..." he said, his voice thick with emotion. Spencer took her hand, curling his fingers around hers and brought it to his lips.

"Did you doubt it would?" she asked. "You knew, the minute you saw it, that it would be mine... didn't you?"

Reid nodded, meeting her lips when she turned her head to him.

"Yeah, I did..."

Scarlett turned, sitting up on her knees before him and took his face in her hands.

"I love you Spencer, and I am yours... for all time..." she promised, kissing him softly.

"As I love you Katy," he responded, returning the kiss. "My tomorrows are yours, along with my heart- _Pour tous les temps_..."


	22. Chapter 22

Author's note: The next few chapters are very loosely based on the episode "Supply & Demand". I've used some of the scenes/characters to set up my own stage in the storyline. I do not own or claim to own any of the dialogue or story created by the writers of CM.

Chapter 22

Scarlett sat cross legged on Spencer's desk, watching his face as he continued to surreptitiously glance to the upper level window to Hotch's office. She flipped through a file on her lap as if she were reading it but her concentration was focused on Reid.

A week back to work, and the files were already driving her insane. She needed the distraction.

"You're sure they are talking about me?" she asked him.

Spencer glanced over at her. "I know your name was mentioned, Scarlett..." he turned his attention back to the window again, hoping to catch the supervisors' faces again so he could continue to read their lips.

"I don't understand," Scarlett scowled. "Why would the Supervisor of the Domestic Trafficking Task Force be talking to Hotch about me?" she asked.

Reid narrowed his eyes, squinting to get a better view. "I don't know, but she's definitely talking about you, Katy..."

He moved quickly when he noticed Scarlett shift, dropping his eyes to the reports on his lap as he heard someone move beside him.

"How are my two favorite nerds this morning?" Dave teased, clapping a hand onto Reid's shoulder. When Spencer blushed and Scarlett only shrugged, he smiled.

"You two thinking on moving to the CIA?" he joked, letting them know he'd noticed them both spying.

Reid turned crimson and lowered his gaze to the files again. However, Scarlett's curiosity was more prevalent over her embarrassment of being caught. She looked over to Rossi.

"Do you know why Agent Swan is talking about me to Hotch?" she asked.

Dave grinned. "Actually, I do... and you'll find out in about five minutes, in the conference room with everyone else..." he said, tapping her on the nose.

Scarlett scowled slightly. Rossi looked from her to Reid. Leaning against the desk beside her, he nudged her slightly.

"So, Scarlett..." when she turned and looked to him, he winked. "Do you still keep up with your pt?" he asked.

Confusion played across her features. "Yes, of course..." she answered. "I just re-qualified not long ago. I work out almost every day... I keep up with it..."

"Mmm..." Dave seemed to consider something. "You still compete in the MMA circuits?" he asked, looking at a folder in his hand.

Scarlett scoffed. "Not in a long time... I used to for extra cash, but hell..." she narrowed her eyes as Rossi handed her the folder.

Inside were dozens of pictures of her in various gym settings, along with a printout of MMA fights she'd competed in over the years. Scarlett rolled her eyes and handed the file to Spencer, who was straining to read it upside down. Reid took it and quickly scanned through the list. He looked over at Scarlett after taking in the information. She saw the questions in his eyes.

"I haven't fought in years," she told him. To Rossi she asked, "What is this about Dave?"

He nodded up to Hotch's office as the supervisor came out of the door. Hotch called out to the floor.

"BAU team to the conference room, please," he said as he escorted the Domestic Supervisor to the door.

Rossi reached over and squeezed Scarlett's knee. "You're about to find out..." he told her, leading the way.

Scarlett sighed and stood up from the desk. She felt Reid move beside her, his hand resting lightly at the small of her back as he held the conference room door open for her. The others filtered in behind them.

Hotch and Agent Swan stood up in the front of the room. A picture of another agent was pulled up on the screen on the wall.

Morgan moved to greet the other supervisor with a handshake before he pulled a seat next to Scarlett.

"Team..." Hotch brought everyone's attention to himself. "As some of you know, this is SSA Andi Swan from the Domestic Trafficking department. She and her team investigate allegations of human trafficking and work to dismantle these rings. I'll let her explain why she's come to our team for assistance," he stated.

The supervisor moved to the head of the table, standing before the picture on the wall. "This is one of our UC's – Renee..." she began, looking around the room to include each of the team members in her gaze.

"She's been undercover for a little over a year now, looking into a ghost group which has been under investigation. This group is somehow working within the MMA circuit, we suspect, to recruit for illegal fight clubs. We have reason to believe they are responsible for five women who have gone missing after they competed in several matches. Our agent believed that these women were abducted. Her reports stated she felt these underground clubs could also be involved in pay-for-torture scenarios... We lost contact with Renee after she infiltrated one of those undergrounds... her handler said she's missed her last two check ins."

Scarlett looked from the tablet to Swan's face. "Two days..." she asked. When the older agent nodded she continued. "And we are being brought in...?"

SSA Swan locked eyes with Scarlett. "Because we need to get someone under fast... someone who already has a background that we can work with... it took Renee a year to build her story and now we don't have that kind of time..." she watched as comprehension dawned across Scarlett's face.

"Me..." she stated as she watched Hotch nod.

Scarlett felt both Reid and Morgan tense up alongside her.

"You want one of our team to go undercover?" Morgan scowled, looking at Hotch. "Solo?"

"It'd be the quickest solution," Scarlett agreed, already thinking ahead.

"No..." Spencer shook his head.

"We were hoping you'd go under with her," Swan interjected, looking at Derek. "We were able to set up her cover, by just changing some of her dates on the past fight tickets... We made it so she would look like a college student who'd transferred in... and put your name in to look like her trainer..." she looked from Scarlett to Morgan. "We don't expect her to fly blind in this..."

Derek opened the file in front of him, which listed his cover story. Reading through it, he felt a little better, knowing he'd be able to keep an eye out for her.

"Well, D, it looks like we're hitting the gym tonight," Scarlett said, letting the room know where she stood in the request. Spencer noted that SSA Swan visibly relaxed although he felt a headache begin to pound behind his own eyes.

"We have some logistics to work out..." he said, averting his eyes to his own screen. Inside, his mind was racing along with his heart.

"It's all there," Swan stated. "I took the liberty of having our team run everything ahead of time... since we needed everything set in place as quickly as possible. If Scarlett agrees, we have a match set up for tomorrow evening... Sorry if that seems presumptuous," she apologized at Reid's scowl.

Hotch saw the look exchanged. "It's completely understandable," he told the other supervisor. He threw Reid a look and Spencer averted his eyes. "We have no issue with lending out Ryan and Morgan to assist with your case," he said, even as Spencer jumped up from his seat and slammed out of the door.

"You're sure about that?" Swan raised her eyebrows as she followed the younger man's flight.

"I'll handle that..." Scarlett stood to follow Reid. She shot a look at Dave. "May I borrow your office a moment?' she asked.

"Of course," he answered. Rossi caught Hotch's eyes. "It'll be okay," he said to Aaron and Andi.

"I wish there was another way..." she said to them.

Morgan leaned back in his chair. "My girl hasn't been in a ring in a couple years. She's going to take some hits in there, especially without time to train. Reid's worried about her, and so am I," he told them honestly.

"She doesn't need to win, just to catch their attention, buy us some time and take the heat off Renee," Swan sighed. "I know this isn't the best scenario to throw Agent Ryan into- but it truly is our last best option. Please understand. _My_ girl is out there, alone, with no weapon, no wire, no back up... If they figure out that Renee's an agent..."

"We understand," Hotch said again. "Agents Ryan and Morgan already said they'd assist. And the rest of the team will work whatever profile we can from the information we have available. It could help us identify the group itself."


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Scarlett moved quickly to catch up with Spencer as he headed down towards the bullpen.

"Reid!"

He stopped short when he heard Scarlett call his name and turned back. She was standing in front of Rossi's office, and nodded her head towards the open room. Turning, he trudged back up and through the door.

Scarlett shut it behind her, closing her eyes briefly and taking a calming breath.

"I don't want you doing this..." he told her before she even turned around.

She turned, taking in his defensive posture and scowl in one look.

"Reid..." she saw him shake his head angrily.

"No. I don't want you doing this!" he reiterated, crossing his arms over his chest.

Scarlett mimicked the position. "What? My job? You don't want me doing _my_ _job_, Spencer? Because that sounds like what you are telling me..."

"No... No... Don't do that!" he shook his head angrily, pointing a finger into her face. "Don't try to put this on me! It's _not_ your job to go into a _fight_ _club_ and get the crap beat out of you for Christ's sake... that's bull shit, Scarlett. There's got to be a better way than putting you out there like that!" he said as he reached for her arm. When she backed away from him, slapping his hand out of her face, he rolled his eyes.

"And now you are mad at me... for what Scarlett? For pointing out the obvious? You said yourself you haven't fought in years... PT or not, I know it isn't the same as getting into a ring..." he turned away from her, going over to look out the window. He clenched his hands at his sides before resuming his stance.

"You know that, too..." she heard him say under his breath. Realization began to dawn on him.

Scarlett moved towards his back, reaching her hand out to touch his arm. When he didn't move away, she stepped closer, sliding her arms around his waist and dropping a kiss to his bicep. She felt him sigh heavily.

"You are going into this knowing you're going to get hurt..." he stated flatly. Reid lifted his arm and tucked her in close to his chest. "You can't expect me to be alright with that, even if you are..." he ground out burying his face into her hair.

"Spence..." Scarlett lifted her face to look into his eyes. "She's only twenty-five..."

Reid held onto her tighter. She felt him tremble slightly and ran her hands along his back.

"You're doing this..." he whispered. "You are doing this and nothing I say is going to change your mind..." he said again wrapping his arms around her and kissing her hair.

"Spencer... please. I have to know you'll have my back. I need to know you can trust me to do my job..." she pleaded, pulling back and looking up to meet his eyes. She saw the brightness in his hazel gaze before he looked away.

"Reid..." she felt his shudder. "Please..."

"God dammit, Scarlett..." he met her eyes again. "You are going to be hurt..."

"I'll be okay, farm boy. I promise..."

"You can't... you can't promise," he set her back from himself, turning and pushing his hair out of his face. He stood there a moment, watching her before scrubbing at his face with his hands. "Don't tell me it'll be okay, Scarlett..."

"Hey, c'mon Reid, give me some credit... I'm better than you think," she tried to tease him a little. When he only scowled again, she blew out a breath and rolled her eyes. "Okay. Then I'll just ask you to do whatever you can do on this end, so I can get home quicker..."

"Fuck..." he swore, looking up at the ceiling. "If anything happens to you..." he grabbed her close again, pulling her up against his heart. She heard it pounding hard against his ribs.

"I know, baby..." she told him. Pulling him away from view of the window and the bullpen below, she reached up, threading her fingers through his hair.

"Give me a kiss, pretty boy, and we'll go back to hear the game plan together," she said as she moved up onto her toes to reach him.

Spencer grunted a retort, hauling her up against him. He pressed his mouth against hers roughly, before shifting his hands to either side of her face, forcing her to look at him.

"Katy," he breathed her name out as if invoking a prayer. "Just keep yourself safe, please..." Reid bent slightly, leaning over her, kissing softly across her lips. "Come back to me safe..." he whispered against her mouth.

"As soon as humanly possible, Spence. I promise..." she returned his kiss with equal fervor.

When Scarlett pulled back, he scowled again. "I'm not happy about this Scarlett. I don't like being left behind..."

She rested a hand to his cheek. "I know..."

Spencer reached over to the door, pulling it open. "Let's get this over with," he said, taking her hand in his as he wrapped his fingers into hers.

They moved out of the office and Scarlett started to let go of his hand.

"No," he told her, tightening his grip. "You're still on my time right now."

"Okay... together then," she said, squeezing his hand.

They walked back into the conference room, hand in hand. The demonstration was not lost on the others, especially when Reid continued to hold her hand even as he moved to sit alongside her at the table.

"Alright, then..." Scarlett broke the silence around the room. "When do we start?"

Agent Swan nodded briskly. "As soon as we can... we already have your file and history set up, along with a dorm and false trail settling you in for the past couple months..." she slid a packet over towards Scarlett.

Opening the envelope, Scarlett dumped the contents onto the table. A set of keys, driver's license and college id were included in with two gym memberships and a cell phone. She flipped through the items, letting Reid also look through them. Opening the cell, she checked it over and slid it to Penelope.

"I'd like a secured laptop, too, Pens..."

"On it," Garcia said, grateful for a job to do to help. Scarlett turned her attention back to the id's.

"We tried to keep the identification as simple as possible..." Andi told her.

"Kaitlyn Moore..." Spencer read the cards aloud. "You managed to get photo id's created before she even agreed to do this..." he looked across the table. "Pretty impressive," he said, not even trying to keep the disdain from his voice.

"Reid..." Hotch's tone warned him he was crossing the line. Spencer didn't apologize, instead he pressed his lips into a thin line and focused his attention back to the file that gave Scarlett her new alias.

"Katy..." Morgan nodded to Scarlett. He slid his cards towards her. "David Bowman..." he told her.

"Right... D. Best to keep it simple..." she told him. "You said there is a match on schedule for tomorrow night?" she asked Agent Swan.

"Yes. Eight o'clock... We were only able to get you in by forging your past history to look more recent. They believe you have been fighting up 'til last month..." she saw the look that passed between Morgan and Scarlett. "I'm sorry... its the only way we could get you in fast."

Reid held Scarlett's hand tighter. "What? What does that mean?" he looked from Morgan to Scarlett trying to discern the issue that was playing out before him.

"It's not a novice match... they'll be assuming I fought recently," Scarlett explained, resting her other hand across Reid's.

"It was the best we could do, under the circumstances... I apologize, but..."

"But... your main concern is your missing agent, not whether or not Scarlett can handle herself in the ring..." Spencer snapped.

"That's enough, Agent..." Hotch stepped over to the door to the conference room. "I want to talk to you now, Reid..."

Spencer stood. "I can't just..." Aaron cut him off.

"My office, now, Reid..." he ordered.

"Please..." Andi implored. "Aaron, that's not necessary..." she faced Spencer. "Dr. Reid... I know your primary concern is Agent Ryan... as is Agent Morgan's. I assure you, Morgan will have complete control over the match, as Scarlett's trainer. At any point, he can call the fight. We've already explained that she need not win the competition. We are only looking to create a diversion... buy some time until we find out where they took Renee," she told him.

Reid looked over at Morgan. "You can do that?" he asked, needing to be certain.

"You know I will, kid..." Derek answered.

Spencer held the bridge of his nose, trying to fight off the impending migraine. "Okay..." looking over to Agent Swan, he apologized. "I'm sorry. I was out of line..."

Hotch watched Andi nod and relaxed his stance.

"Reid..." he said, his tone muted but still full of concern. "I'm going to need you and Dave to go over to Renee's apartment. She may have left us some clues to a lead she was following..."

"Yes, sir..." Spencer replied, subdued.

"What you find there may help to expedite finding her and closing this case. I am relying on your eyes to catch something that Domestic may have missed, understood?" Hotch told the younger agent in a gentler tone that helped Reid see the importance of the duty, rather than focusing on Scarlett.

Spencer nodded, swallowing against the lump in his throat. "Yes, sir, I understand..."

Agent Swan breathed a sigh of relief. "We have a car waiting out front Agent Ryan, ready to take you and Agent Morgan to your locations..."

Reid's eyes visibly widened. Before he could say anything, Hotch stepped forward.

"Garcia is going to need some time to get that laptop ready, Scarlett..." he stated. To Andi, he added "It will take our tech analyst a little while to deal with that. I'll buy you a cup of coffee..."

SSA Swan looked at Aaron. "Right, of course... Coffee sounds good." She nodded at the others as she left the conference room.

JJ looked over at Rossi and Blake. "We'd better get the files for the other missing women together... we may see a pattern that was missed..." she said and tugged on Derek's shirt sleeve to push him out of the room, giving Scarlett and Reid some privacy.

Scarlett watched her friend shut the door before turning back to Spencer.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

"You are leaving now..." he said, nerves ringing clearly in his voice.

"Spence..." she moved before him, pulling him into her embrace. She felt his arms lock around her.

"I don't want to leave you go..." he said quietly. "I don't know how to leave you go..." she heard the hitch in his voice.

"You have to, pretty boy. The team needs you to work the profile..." she reminded him. "I need you to help them figure this out, okay?" she asked gently.

"Right... I know..." he pulled back a bit and she saw the pain in his eyes.

"Please don't look at me like that, Spence. I don't want your pain burned into my memory... please?" she tried to give him a little smile.

"Give me something happy to take with me," she whispered. Spencer closed his eyes and she felt him sigh.

"Okay..." he reached into her jacket pocket, pulling out her cell. He flipped through a few screens and tossed the phone on the table. Scarlett heard "As it Seems" by Lily Kershaw fill the conference room.

"Dance with me Scarlett..." he said softly, taking her into his arms. She followed his lead, leaning her ear against his chest, listening to his heart. She heard him begin to hum along to the music and she committed the sound to memory as she began to sing along...

_Well I knew, What I didn't want to know, And I saw, Where I didn't want to go  
>So I took the path less traveled on And I'll let my stories be whispered<br>When I'm gone...  
>When I'm gone<br>When I'm gone  
>When I'm gone<em>

_Well in this life you must find something to live for Cause when the darkness comes a callin' You'll go back to where you were before  
>Cause this life is as Fragile as a dream, and Nothing's ever really<br>As it seems...  
>As it seems<br>As it seems  
>As it seems<em>

_Well I lost my innocence when in I let him dive But the way that he looked at me  
>Made me feel alive And now I know Nothin' at all But the release that comes when you're<br>In mid fall...  
>In mid fall<br>In mid fall  
>In mid fall<em>

_Cause in this life you must find something to live for Cause when the darkness comes a callin' You'll go back to where you were before  
>Cause this life is as Fragile as a dream, and Nothing's ever really<br>As it seems...  
>As it seems<br>As it seems  
>As it seems <em>

Spencer held her as the song ended, leaning down and kissing the words from her lips. When she sighed, he leaned into her, stealing her breath away, even as she pulled him closer.

"I think I am addicted to your kisses, Reid..." Scarlett teased as she bit his bottom lip lightly. He groaned and deepened the kiss once again.

"I'm not complaining," he breathed out. "I could kiss you forever, Katy Scarlett..."

"I'm going to take that as a promise..." she warned with a quick grin. She felt his lips twitch in a smile.

"I promise, crazy girl... the minute you get home, I promise, I'm going to kiss every inch of you..." he told her as he trailed more light kisses along her ears and neck. He heard her sharp intake of breath when he nipped at the cord along the side of her neck and felt a flash of heat light in his blood. A low growl rolled in his chest...

"God I love that sound," she said, her own voice turning husky. "But..." she curled against him, not wanting to stop.

"I know..." he responded. He moved back to taste her lips again before pulling back to give them some distance to cool down. "I know..." he huffed out a tense breath, trying to regain some composure.

Scarlett leaned against his chest once more, listening, even as she heard a knock sound on the conference room door. She heard him sigh.

"I love you, SSA Ryan," he told her gruffly, allowing her to step away yet still holding her hand. Scarlett trailed her fingers across his palm and down his fingers until they separated.

"As I love you, Dr. Reid..." she gave him a smile as she moved out the door to join Derek, who was waiting in the hall.

Morgan watched as she walked away, without looking back. He turned to Reid.

"You okay, kid?" Derek asked. Spencer looked Morgan in the eye.

"Not until she is back," he answered his friend. "Not until she is back, safe, in my arms, Derek. I won't be whole until then," he said quietly, turning to walk in the other direction.

When he was alone, he reached into his back pocket, where he'd felt Scarlett drop something inside. He pulled out her ring and felt his breath hitch in his chest on a sob. Sliding the ring halfway onto his pinky finger, he gave in for a moment and wept.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Reid and Rossi were pulling apart the missing agent's apartment inside the hour. Spencer opened a laptop he found inside a desk and turned it on.

Agent Swan looked over his shoulder. "We searched her computer- she wipes everything every time she signs off," she told him. "We didn't find anything..."

Reid nodded and pulled out his phone. "But you don't have Garcia," he told the supervisor as he heard Penelope pick up the line.

"Oh thank God!" he heard her voice crack loudly over the speaker. "Please please please tell me you have something I can do, lover boy! I need to help bring our boos home!" Rossi grinned as Spencer blushed.

"Pens... you are on speaker," Reid stated, using Scarlett's pet name for her. His embarrassment faded as he focused on the task at hand.

"I need you to restore Renee's deleted history and files... she may have left a clue to help us figure this mess out somewhere on it..."

"Oh from your mouth to God's ears, sweet farm boy..." she responded in kind to him using Scarlett's words. "Give me a few... minutes... here..." There was a brief pause as Spencer heard the keys clicking in the background.

"And I am in... Fully restored! Read fast boy-wonder! Bring my babies home to momma! PG out!" The line clicked dead and the laptop started humming as data flew across the screen.

Agent Swan turned to Rossi. "Where can I get a Garcia?" she asked, half jokingly.

She watched as Reid turned full focus on the rapidly flashing screen. When he grabbed a note book and started writing in a short-hand scrawl that was keeping pace with the words flying across the screen, she looked from him to Rossi and quickly back to Spencer. His eyes tracked along each page in succession without blinking.

"Is he really reading that?" she asked, eyes widening in disbelief.

Dave grinned. "Yes..." he said, pulling her away from distracting Spencer.

"Where the hell do I get a Reid?" she said shaking her head in amazement.

"I'm pretty sure they broke the mold after they left him on the steps of the BAU as a baby..." he joked.

"Jesus..." she breathed as she watched him write through three pages within as many minutes.

Spencer jumped up from the chair, knocking it backwards. "I got something..." he said, turning and crossing the room to a narrow dresser. He reached his hand behind the top drawer, until he felt a file taped inside the back panel. When he pulled it out, he took the pages inside over to a table, laying them out beside each other.

"You were right," he told Agent Swan. "She was on to something..." Stopping for a moment, Spencer seemed to scan through information in his head, before continuing.

"These are others... missing college students," he clarified. "She found more... recent..."

Agent Swan looked at each of the pages. "There are seven more?" she asked. "You're sure?" She looked over the pictures of the other fighters that he'd set out.

"Yes, more than that... she found a pattern..." Reid grabbed a pen and flipped one of the pages over, writing words and numbers across them. He stepped back to show Swan and Rossi.

"The numbers are dates that coincided with a fight, each one was a 'women only' night..." he explained, reaching over to the desk to grab his notebook, using it to help decode Renee's encrypted messages. "Each of these missing women were scheduled in those fights and two clubs are repeated. One is a gym called "Finnegan's" and the other..."

"Was Prowl..." Dave turned as Andi answered before Reid.

"Yes..." Spencer replied, a quizzical look on his face.

"At Renee's last check in, she left a text... Fight at Prowl, going with a friend..." she shook her head in frustration. "She should have let someone know she was that close!"

"She probably wanted to scope it out, verify her instincts were correct," Dave offered.

"Do we know who her friend was?" Reid asked.

"No. She didn't give any other information..."

"How about someone who she may have talked to here? Did she have friends who may have been in the MMA club scene?" Rossi asked.

Reid scanned the room again. Nothing in the space gave any indication of who this mystery friend could be... nothing that indicated that Renee even lived there. No personal touches, not a wrinkle, not a mark...

"She worked this case twenty-four/seven for the past year... she never made time for friends..."

"Could it have been a man... maybe pretending to be a trainer?" Spencer asked.

"I don't think she'd be that careless..."

Reid looked over at Swan. "You said yourself she worked the case as her life... that can get awfully lonely after a year's time... add to that being undercover, she can't even get to know anybody. Why would you think it was careless for her to strike up a friendship... especially in a case where if it were someone who'd double as a trainer... she probably thought she was doing a good job..."

Andi absorbed that for a moment. "She's very driven..."

"All the more reason why she'd try looking into the club herself, before alerting your team. If she moved to early, she'd blow her cover," Rossi interjected.

"And take on a trainer to up her game..." Reid added.

Dave looked over the files once again. "Let's get the laptop back to the Bureau. Maybe Garcia can find something else encrypted into the data streams."


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Spencer paced the floor of the bullpen for the twenty-second time that night before sitting back down in his chair. Waiting was never his forte, and waiting for news on Scarlett was proving capable of pushing him to the edge of sanity.

He couldn't believe it was just this morning that Scarlett was sitting right here before him. It seemed like forever. He rubbed the heel of his hand against the ache in his heart.

Leaning back in his chair, he covered his eyes with his fists, considering going back into the tech cave with Penelope once again. He knew she'd added an easter egg into Scarlett's temporary laptop, a coded connection in a language she'd taught Scarlett herself and he was hoping to hear something, anything from her. Garcia'd thrown him out twice already for hanging over her shoulder. Maybe the third time would be the charm...

Hotch moved out of his office and noticed Reid falling asleep in his chair. He stepped up behind the young agent, just in time to catch him as the chair flipped backward.

Spencer jumped up as he fell, scrabbling hard to reach for something to stop himself. He grabbed a hold of an arm that came up around his shoulders.

"Shit..." he jumped up and away from the chair and the arm.

"Reid, take it easy... it's only me," Aaron told him, seeing fear then embarrassment run across his face. Spencer braced himself against his desk and took a shaky breath.

"Sorry, Jesus..." he dragged in another breath. "Sorry..." he repeated.

"Spencer..." Hotch spoke easily, in a calming tone. "Why don't you try to go home... get some sleep."

"No... I'm fine Hotch, really... I want to be here. I need to be here, at least..."

Aaron watched his face a moment longer, understanding. "Okay," he nodded. "Just... here..." he handed the keys to his office over to the younger man. "Use my office... no more desk chair olympics..." he smiled.

"Okay... right... thanks," Reid reached over and took the keys.

"The couch is relatively comfortable, if you can manage to close your eyes," Hotch told him.

"I will- it's just..." Spencer jumped as his phone rang. Hitting the button, Garcia's voice came out of the speaker.

"Connection has been opened, if you're still pacing, point yourself this way. She won't stay long..."

Reid looked at Hotch. "On my way..." he told Penelope.

"Connection?" Aaron asked, raising his eyebrow.

"Umm..." Spencer rubbed at his neck. He wasn't sure if what they were doing was against the Bureau's protocols or if it was just frowned upon...

"I think I'll join you..." Hotch told him, turning towards the doors.

"Okay..." he followed, jamming his hands into his pockets.

When they entered the analyst's office, Penelope turned, surprised to see Hotch leading the way.

"Oh... hey, hi," she said, looking around him to Reid, who only shrugged nervously. "I didn't know you were still here, too, sir..."

"It's a late night all around, Garcia. Nobody is sleeping easy with our teammates out in the field..." Hotch stated, letting them know he was also concerned. He looked at the computers screens, then back to Penelope.

"You've got something?" he asked, curious. When Garcia tensed, he placed a hand on her shoulder and moved to sit against the desk behind her. "Off the record, Garcia..."

Penelope grinned. "Yeah... okay," she turned back to the computer screen to her left. She waved Reid over her shoulder. "Come here, baby..." she told him. When he leaned closer, she tapped a paragraph of numbers that flashed on the screen. "Did you memorize the code I gave you?" When he nodded, she patted his arm. "Okay, then... there's your girl... can you read it?"

Spencer swallowed a lump in his throat. "Yeah..." he looked over to Hotch. "It says 'go to bed'..."

Aaron smiled. "Sounds like she's okay... and worrying about you two..."

Garcia scooted over to give Reid access to the keyboard. "You want to answer her?"

"Yes..." he said quickly. "What should I say?" Penelope laughed.

"Whatever you want, sweetie... the connections and units are secured, I've upped the firewalls and baby girl and I are the onliest ones who know this code. Well, now you too..." she grinned. "It's a one-time only feed... everything will wipe after we disconnect, and it'll be as if it never existed," she explained for Hotch's benefit.

"Okay..." he typed out a brief message, asking if they learned anything on their end. When the screen flashed, he read it aloud.

"Nothing new. CC cameras set around club. PG look for site. Prob PPV." He looked over at Penelope.

"If they have closed circuit cameras around, they probably are streaming the illegal fights as a pay per view..." she explained. "Tell her I am on it... and ask her if there's a location or name or something I can start with..."

Reid typed back as Garcia worked alongside him on another screen. Hotch watched them, waiting for more details. The data Spencer was watching blinked, a new set of code on screen. His mind instantly translated the numbers into the words Penny had taught him earlier.

"Same gym as training. Match here tomorrow. Club Prowl..." Reid stopped dead at the last sentence.

"She's in the club that Renee was last seen in..." he told Hotch.

"I got that..." Aaron pulled out his phone. "Agent Swan..." he stepped outside Penelope's office while he spoke to Andi, trying to find out more information that she may have on that club and what she may know about the scheduled fight tomorrow.

Spencer typed a message in telling Scarlett about what they found out at the missing agent's apartment. There was a delay in her response and Reid started to pace again.

Penelope grabbed his arm. "I'll toss you out once more pretty boy, if you make me all nervous and twitchy again. I can't work with nervous and twitchy..." she warned him.

Hotch re-entered the room and heard their conversation. He shot her a questioning glance.

Garcia nodded towards the screen. "Reid told her what was discovered this afternoon, and she's thinking it over... and he's getting twitchy because she doesn't think fast enough for him... he's waiting on her response..." she explained. The computer blinked and Reid dove at it. Penelope rolled her eyes.

Translating as quickly as the information posted to the screen, he read.

"Twelve plus R? Timeline?" he looked to Hotch. "She's thinking they need a lot of space to hold that many women, if we are assuming all of them are still alive... and an isolated area to control them or dispose of the bodies..." he said even as he was quickly typing back all the names and dates of the women that Renee had added to the known missing.

Aaron looked over at the coded screen. It started flashing back as fast as Reid was typing. He looked at Garcia. She shook her head.

"They are reading each other's minds now, I think..." she scowled. "I can't keep up..."

"That sounds dangerous..." Hotch turned as he heard Dave's voice. "Universes will implode if they keep that up," he quipped.

"Nobody else could sleep either?" he asked, indicating the two hovering over the keyboards...

"Garcia is running a program through the laptop Scarlett took with her. They are talking to her now..." Hotch explained.

"Convenient... is it secure?" he asked. When Penelope threw him a scathing glance, he put his hands in the air. "Sorry, I thought it was a legitimate question. Forgive me..." he grinned. Appeased, she turned her attention back to her research.

Reid hurriedly ran a hand through his hair, then blew it out of his eyes when it fell right back. Garcia picked up an elastic band and moved to stand behind him, pulling his hair back out of his face.

"Thanks," he looked up at her. "I keep meaning to get it cut again..."

Penny rested her hand onto his shoulders and stretched a moment. "The scruffy look suits you," she teased, tugging on the stubby tail that she'd created out of the back from top of his hair. "Cute..."

Reid raised an eyebrow at her. "Great..." and she laughed.

"What's wrong with cute?" she asked him. Spencer snorted derisively.

"Nothing, if you are a puppy..." he threw her a quick look before turning his attention back to the screen.

Hotch watched as Reid continued to run code back and forth with Scarlett until he stopped short and his fingers hovered over the keys. Penelope looked quickly at the screen to see what startled him.

"Problem?" Rossi asked and Spencer blushed.

Garcia chuckled. "Oops... I don't think I was supposed to read that..." she stepped back and looked over at the others. "No problem... Scarlett's just being a flirt," she poked Reid in the back. "You going to answer that, or do you want me to?"

"Shut up, Pens..." he felt his ears burn. "Scarlett is signing off..." he told the others, ignoring her teasing. He quickly typed something back and looked back over his shoulder at Garcia. He covered it with his hand, scowling at her.

"Oh, poo... you are no fun, Reid..." she told him but moved back to her own computer. Squinting, she read something and turned back to Spencer.

"Hey, tell her I found the feed for her fight tomorrow night... We can watch her..." Penelope told him.

"What?"

"They are showing the match live stream..." she repeated, then noticed the stricken look on his face. "You don't have to watch if you don't want to..." she amended.

"No... I just... I don't know..." he breathed out. Typing again, he relayed the information. When the answer came back, he huffed out a breath. "She said good..." Spencer rubbed his eyes. "And she said not to worry, she's got this..." his eyes rolled. "Cocky..."

"Of course she is... she's Scarlett..." Penelope told him.

"Right... yeah..." he sighed. He turned around, looking at Hotch and Rossi.

"Scarlett is going to fill Morgan in early tomorrow on what we found out today. She seems to think that the club owner is clean... but that's just a gut feeling. She said to double check into any of his holdings and cross reference with his daughter's... she's very involved in the MMA end of the business." Spencer looked over at Penelope. "We'll add Finnegan's, since some of the women disappeared after matches there..."

"Andi told me they set Scarlett up at Prowl because that was where Renee had checked in from last... along with they were on the schedule for the next event... it's their ladies night..." Hotch stated, watching Reid's grimace.

Spencer added more text to the screen. "She said at least she's in the right place..." he told them after she replied. He sighed and shook his head.

"For warned is for armed," Rossi said. "At least they have that..."

"And we know baby girl is safe..." Penny reached over and patted Reid's arm.

"Right..." Spencer breathed out slowly, rubbing his eyes.

Hotch nodded. "Okay. Everybody needs to get sleep. We need to be ready for action and Scarlett has a long day on schedule..." he told them. "I'm heading home. I suggest you three do the same."

Reid typed a bit more on the keyboard. "I'm staying here..." he stopped and looked over at Hotch. "I'll try to get some sleep, but I'd feel better if I could stay," he explained.

Penelope nodded. "I'd rather stay too. We'll take turns on the couch... I promise we won't stay up all night, Dad," she grinned. Spencer gave her a wide eyed stare. "What? Geez, he knows I'm joking, Reid..."

Hotch shook his head and rolled his eyes. "Please, get some sleep. And Garcia... I know we are all a little punchy, but don't call me Dad..." he told her with an added a smile.

"Right, sorry..." Penelope giggled before turning back to her computer.

Spencer added the last few lines to his transmission and clicked send.

Scarlett sat in the middle of the bed in a room across the city watching the laptop screen blink codes as Reid sent her another message.

"I will be here if u need me P staying too"

She shook her head and sighed. "Always need you farm boy I have to sign off now" she told him. She read the response.

"Me too you Get some sleep" Scarlett smiled, sending back her last transmission.

"Love u" She hit send.

"As I love u"

She touched the screen briefly after his reply, wiped the memory from the laptop and shut it down.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Scarlett headed into town early the next morning to meet with Morgan for breakfast. They'd picked a diner that had low traffic and had previously been used by Domestic for meetings with Renee and her handler.

"Hey, baby girl..." Derek stood up and gave Scarlett a quick one armed hug. "Sleep well?"

She rolled her eyes. "Sleep is over rated. I'll sleep when I'm dead..." she teased.

Morgan scowled. "Tell me you at least tried..."

Scarlett reached over and patted his hand. "I slept, D. Couple of hours, but it was enough. I stalked the internet for a little while, talked to some friends from home..." she threw in as the waitress came to take their orders. "But I managed to get some sleep."

"Good. You're going to need it for tonight," he told her.

"Hey," she narrowed her eyes at the worried look in his eyes. "I did good during practice yesterday. I got this," she told him. "No negativity allowed in my zone, D..." she warned him with a grin.

"Coffee..." she told the waitress. "And fries with gravy on the side..."

Derek laughed. "Really? For breakfast?"

Scarlett shrugged. "Coffee is breakfast. Fries are lunch and possibly dinner," she grinned. He just shook his head.

After Morgan placed his order and the waitress left the table, he looked over at Scarlett. "So, how are your friends doing?" he asked.

"Fine... my girlfriend did some research and she's telling me that this gym you set me up at is red hot. I may be able to make a name for myself there..." she told him.

Derek sat forward a bit more, leaning towards her. "How hot? I heard they were good, but..." he gave a shrug as if disinterested but she saw in his body language the tension under the surface.

Scarlett met his eyes and nodded. "Red hot... as in smoking, D. They are up to thirteen titles I think..." she added, knowing he'd read between the lines.

"Pretty impressive... needs a lot of real estate to show off those trophies..." he said. "It didn't look like so much from what I took in yesterday..."

She drank some of her coffee and agreed. "Naw, the gym itself isn't all that. I've titled in better..." she shrugged. "One of the girls came up to me in the lockers yesterday after practice... she said the real show is in the underground..."

"Katy..." Derek saw a look cross her face. "I know you are good kiddo," he said softly, using a warning tone. "But I don't think you are ready for underground..."

Scarlett met his tone with her own. "I'm ready, D. I'm going where the money is so I can clean up my mess and go the hell home..." she saw Morgan roll his eyes as he swiped a hand over his face.

"D, seriously. Don't doubt me," she gave him a grin. "Oh, btw..." she smiled at him. "I need to go shopping this afternoon, so I'll meet you at the gym for four..."

"Fight's at six, Katy..."

"I know. I'm ditching practice..." she lifted her hand at him when he started to protest. "I can't practice before a fight... I'll wear myself out..." she reached over and patted his hand.

"So, I'm going shopping and I'll see you later..." she said with a quick smile as she threw some bills onto the table. She stood to leave.

"Katy..." turning back, she saw the concern on her brother's face. "No going off the leash..." he told her darkly.

Scarlett gave him a big grin and blew him a kiss. "When, exactly, have you ever known me to be on one in the first place, D?"

Morgan scowled. "I'm coming with you..." he ground out. Scarlett sighed.

"Whatever... your funeral..." as he followed her out of the diner.

"As long as it isn't yours," he retorted. Derek pointed to a car in the lot, and Scarlett climbed into the passenger's side.

Once they were in the vehicle, behind closed doors, Derek turned to his sister.

"Okay, Katy, spill it... you have something planned..."

Scarlett nodded. "They found a link to seven more, D..."

"I got that. But..."

"But, obviously, they aren't around the gym itself."

"And..." Morgan added, waiting for her to continue.

"And, I think the underground scene may be connected, so..." she shrugged, looking sideways at him.

"So, you want to showboat, try to get an invite to the illegal fight..." Derek sighed.

"I thought it could be our best bet... Where ever they are holding the underground matches may be where they are holding the others..."

"Sis, it's been awhile since you did this- there is no guarantee it'll work," he warned her.

"If it doesn't, then it doesn't... at least I tried. And Andi needs a distraction, she said so herself. Why not give a show?" she nudged his shoulder with her own.

"Go big or go home..." Morgan grinned.

"Go big _and_ go home..." Scarlett met his smile. "I want to go home..."

"Alright then, baby girl. Let's give them something to talk about... Where do you need to go shopping?"

"First stop, tech store... then tattoo shop... I'll explain..." she grinned. "I've got a plan..."


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Spencer helped Penelope run a wire over from her laptop to the screen on the wall of the conference room.

"I still don't understand why I need to watch this..." he stated again, continuing his earlier argument with Garcia about viewing the match tonight.

Penelope set two screens before her, linking them to the ones in her office.

"Because, Reid... I can't watch everything at once. I need your eyes. You may see something I miss... If Scarlett or Derek try to send us a signal, we need to catch it. Plus, I'm still researching the clubs and the net is full of closed circuit MMA fights... I'm pulling each of those to try to find a connection... I can't do everything!" she raised her voice slightly.

"Fine! Sorry! I know!" Reid's voice raised also before he stopped short and took a breath. "Sorry..." he said more quietly. "I'm sorry Penny. I know you are all over this... I'm just not looking forward to seeing Scarlett get her ass kicked..."

Penelope pushed her glasses up on her nose. "Geez, Reid. Have a little faith..."

Spencer closed his eyes. "Sorry..." he said again. Scrubbing his face with his hands, he took another breath and looked back over at his friend. "What else can I do to help?"

Garcia smiled and gave his arm a pat as he walked past. "Here," she pointed to one of the screens. "Watch these for anything that would indicate a pay per view site coming on... One of them maybe what we are looking for..."

"How can I tell?" he asked.

"Look for names to match those on the tickets of the legal matches... they may float from them to the underground..."

"Names?" he scanned the lists. "I don't see any names..."

Penelope sighed. "Crash course, Reid... the fighters use nicknames. Watch the names, after each match, to see if any suddenly pop up onto these closed sites. That'll tell us which connection goes underground with the match at Prowl."

He scanned the listing for the open fight showing for tonight. "What nickname did Scarlett use... when she fought before?" he asked Garcia.

Penny grinned. "Baby Girl, of course..." Spencer shook his head.

"Not very intimidating..." he rolled his eyes. Looking over the other names, he saw listings like Viper, Thrasher and even a few uses of regular names in the nickname like Scary Sherry...

"Nope. She likes being underestimated, Reid. It's part of her persona," she stated.

"Persona?" he looked confused.

"Scarlett plays when she fights in these things, Reid... God, I wish I had time to show you her old matches... It's like acting. A lot of times these things are as much about the character as it is the fight itself. She made a pretty good name for herself when she was fighting. People followed Baby Girl, which made her a crowd draw... More crowd, more money," Garcia explained further.

The screen on the wall flickered to life, just as the other members of the team came into the room. Spencer felt JJ's hand on his shoulder as she sat next to him. He looked from her to the scene on the wall. The monitor played a shot of the gym, the ring and the crowd filing in to fill the seats.

"Hey, Spence," she said quietly. "How you holding up?" she asked, concern showing on her face.

"Barely," he answered honestly.

"I know... I always feel that way whenever Will has a job that takes him away from me. It's hard..."

"How do you deal with it?" Reid asked her.

"Day by day, hour by hour... minute by minute, if I have to. I just hang on..." she told him gently, giving his arm a squeeze.

"I'm trying..." he turned his focus back onto the computer screen to his right. Something caught his eye...

"Pen- Baby Girl just came on under one of the legal matches..." Garcia looked over at his screen.

"That'd be her..." she nodded. "I figured she'd stick to what she knew worked..."

Reid worried briefly about the odds of someone making a connection between Scarlett's alter ego from Chicago and her alias now. Penelope saw the look on his face and nudged him.

"She's not going to be doing this long enough for them to look that far into it..." she told him, reading his mind.

"Right. Okay..." Spencer looked up at the match feed on the wall again. One table alongside the ring was now set with microphones and he scanned the row of announcers, watching their faces. Another shot from the camera showed judges taking their seats.

Hotch stepped into the room with Agent Swan. He quickly glanced around the room, meeting his eyes to Rossi.

"Scarlett's handler just reported into Domestic. She's there, so is Morgan..."

"So everything is at a go..." Dave stated, watching Aaron closely.

"Not completely as planned..." Hotch looked over to Reid and Garcia. They exchanged a quick look of concern.

"Something went wrong?" Penelope asked, frightened.

Andi shook her head. "Nothing _went_ wrong," she interjected. "Your friend changed the game..."

"How?" Reid squeaked out. JJ reached over and held his hand.

"Our man in the field said she came in early and requested a change to her ticket. Instead of just running through a basic match up, she put herself on the line up for the elimination match..." Swan looked over at Reid.

"Basically, it's just what it sounds like... They fight a round, one after the other, until one of them submits or gets knocked out. As long she climbs, she stays in... and she gets more notice. If she can stay in..."

Garcia looked over at Hotch. "She can stay in. I've seen her fight, sir. She can stay in and she knows it. Morgan knows it too, otherwise he wouldn't have let her switch her ticket..."

Spencer looked at the wall again as the first round of contenders came onto the screen.

"She's going to give a show..." he stated quietly. To Andi, he said, "You said you needed a distraction, she's going to give you one..."

Penelope nodded. "We have to find that underground, Reid..." she told him. She turned the laptop so she could watch the screen also. "Her name will be on it, I can guarantee it. She's going full throttle to get into that underground. As soon as she's asked, her name will be our way of knowing which one is Prowl's site."

"And when you figure that out?" JJ asked.

"I start digging to find the location. If that place doesn't fit, there could be a paper trail that can connect to another site that does..."

Agent Swan watched the monitor. "I hope this works..."

"I've got over twenty nine websites already advertising they'll have feeds. It's just a matter of finding which one is where this group is operating out of. If Prowl is connected, Scarlett's name will be our red flag... It's the best way to narrow it down."


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Scarlett stood at the edge of the door, looking out at the ring. Morgan watched her closely, noting the tension in her shoulders. When he touched her back, she jumped.

"Katy..."

"I'm fine, D. Just nerves..." she bounced in place on her toes for a moment, before looking in his eyes. "You gave them my music..."

"Yes... Katy, everything's set up. They got it... just go out there and give them a show..."

Scarlett listened to the announcer's voice echo through the microphones across the gym.

"First up in our elimination match tonight, we have a newbie to our circuit..." she heard him say and she looked out again to the ring. Her music started blaring out of the over heads and she tuned out everything accept the sound of "Troublemaker" surrounding her. Morgan watched the change come over her features as she switched to game mode.

"Fresh off the Chicago circuit, with three titles under her, we have Katy "Baby-Girl" Moore..."

Scarlett moved out of the sidelines into the ring, dancing along with the music, making sure to get the crowd riled up as she showed off some moves and faced off with her competition. She sized up a woman about her age, who she'd seen training yesterday. Playing it back in her head, she picked apart the other woman's strategy, finding her weakness to determine the fastest way to drop her out of the match.

Back in the conference room at the BAU, everybody became silent as they watched her on the screen. She was dressed up in black shorty shorts and a matching sports bra with "Baby Girl" written in lime green across her chest and butt. Spencer swallowed hard as he watched her move, drawing in the crowd and even posing at times, creating a scene. As the music played louder, he could see her pump herself up with it.

"Here we go..." Reid heard Garcia say under her breath.

Spencer watched Scarlett move to the center of the ring to greet the other fighter. The woman wasn't much bigger than Scarlett, although she looked more muscular. They listened to the rules as read by the referee before taking a step back to await the signal for the round to start.

When the bell rang, Reid watched the other woman move towards Scarlett quickly. Bouncing in time to the music, she easily dodged the attempted blows. Instead of returning the parley, Scarlett backed away, taunting the other woman to charge her again. She side-stepped the next blow, landing one of her own instead, surprising the woman.

Spencer held his breath as the fighter turned back sharply throwing a kick towards Scarlett's face. He felt the air rush out of his lungs when suddenly instead of receiving the kick, Scarlett grabbed the foot and twisted the other woman, throwing her to the mat.

When she turned her back to the opponent, she sensed the movement behind her, and threw a high kick of her own, catching the woman in the jaw. A shout came up from the crowd as the woman slumped to the mat upon contact, knocked out.

The camera angle caught a view of Morgan in the corner and Spencer saw him raise a fist, jumping up with the crowd. One of the microphones picked up his shout of 'that's my girl' as Scarlett moved to her corner. She bumped her fists to his and looked over to the announcers table, making a motion with her hand. The music repeated at her request and Scarlett circled the mat again, showboating for the audience. When they started cheering, she pulled herself up on the ropes and threw her hands in the air, letting out a yell.

"NEXT!"

The people around the ring cheered as another competitor joined the ring. The brunette that came into the match was taller than Scarlett and when they met at the center, she sneered down at her. Scarlett batted her eyes mockingly and made a kissing noise.

The woman came at her fast and low when the bell rang. Scarlett jumped backwards, avoiding a swing and then landed a blow into her midsection, winding her. When she retaliated with kick, Scarlett blocked it and slid around to her back. Hooking her ankle behind the woman's knee, she dropped her to the mat. She put a choke hold on her and held on until the referee broke it off.

When Scarlett turned around to go to her neutral zone, the brunette charged her, attempting to catch Scarlett off guard. A heartbeat before she reached her, Scarlett turned and threw and upper cut into her face, knocking her flat. As the referee counted her out, Scarlett rounded the ring again, skipping like a kid, hands behind her back.

The crowd showed their approval by jumping to their feet as she ran from one side to the other. When the ref counted the brunette out, Scarlett scrambled to the top of the ropes, throwing her hands in the air.

"NEXT!"

Spencer sat at the table, mouth agape. Penelope laughed out loud at the look on his face, drawing everyone's eyes to her.

"Dr. Reid, meet 'Baby-Girl' Ryan..." Garcia quipped.

"I guess you haven't seen this side of her?" JJ chuckled at Penelope's teasing of him. To add to the mischief she reached over and closed his mouth. Her touch brought Spencer around.

"Did you see that?!" he asked her incredulously.

"Yeah, honey I saw that... we all saw that..." she laughed. Spencer looked around the room quickly, as if he just realized the others were present.

"She didn't even take a hit..." he said with awe in his voice. JJ looked over at him.

"Spence, are you smiling?" she teased. He blushed.

Penelope scoffed. "I _told_ you so..." she rolled her eyes.

Agent Swan looked over to Hotch. "I didn't know... I read her sheet, I saw she won some titles a couple years ago... but I never realized she'd would have a chance..." she shook her head. "I only expected her to get some intel, cause a distraction... She may get into the underground..."

Hotch nodded. "I can tell you that Agent Ryan doesn't do anything halfway. If the quickest answer is for her to get into that illegal fight, I'm sure that's what she's planning on doing."

Rossi looked over to Hotch. "She's on a mission..."

Spencer listened to the conversations around him as he continued watching the action on the screen.

"What's happening now?" he asked Penelope.

Garcia looked up from the laptop to the big screen. "They are taking five. Giving Scarlett a breather..." she watched her friends talking in their corner. Morgan handed a bottle of water to Scarlett as she stretched out, loosening her muscles. They saw her give a hand signal to the table outside of the ring and music started playing again as the crowd began to cheer once more.

Scarlett winked at Derek before she started dancing around the ring again. She ran across the center of the mat, flipping forward in a hands free cartwheel once at the center then climbing up the ropes once again at the far corner. She let out a primal scream to the fans on that side, before dancing over to the other side. Once she reached them, the fans cheered her on as she hammed it up on their side.

A tall blonde entered the other neutral zone and the audience noise created a din that sounded like a roar in Scarlett's ears. She tuned it out, focusing on her music and her new opponent.

The blonde had her own game plan. She played to the crowd also, showing Scarlett that she had her own fans.

Scarlett let her take the field, using the time to catch her breath and center herself. She took her bottle of water from Derek, leaning in towards him as he tried to talk to her above the noise.

"You okay?" he asked, watching her closely.

"Never better, D. Just watching and learning..."

"Same song and dance baby girl, just different partners," he told her.

"Yup, I'm getting that," she grinned. "How long should I drag this one out for?" she teased.

"Don't go getting cocky on me," he warned. "This one didn't get to be a favorite by just laying down and playing dead."

Scarlett watched a little longer, until the ref called them to the center for the next round.

Reid watched as Scarlett and the blonde moved to the middle of the ring. He could already tell that the vibe of this round was different by her body language. The blonde was more relaxed, as if daring Scarlett to take the first swing. As they circled each other a few times, it was obvious that Scarlett was going to have to make that move.

He watched as she darted forward, throwing a low swing into the blonde's abdomen as she dodged a fist to her own. Jumping backwards, she used the momentum to circle backwards, hitting the other woman with a roundhouse kick.

When the kick landed, the blonde stumbled backwards but quickly righted herself. She grabbed Scarlett's leg and tossed her on her back.

Scarlett felt the air rush out of her lungs when she hit the mat for the first time that night. She planted her feet and jumped back up to a standing position as fast as she had fallen. She dragged in a breath, elbowing her opponent to the ribs as she charged forward.

Hearing the crowd cheer again, she turned once more, landing a rapid succession of blows to the woman, backing her against the ropes.

The bigger woman pulled away from the ropes, dodging Scarlett's kick as she spun latching a strong arm around her neck. Hanging on tightly, she took Scarlett to her knees, trying to force a submission.

Garcia heard Spencer's fist hit the table before him and quickly looked to the screen. She saw Scarlett on her knees and sucked in a breath.

"C'mon Scarlett..." Reid whispered. "Get up..."

"Get up..." Penelope repeated. She held her own breath as she watched the blonde squeeze tighter.

Scarlett pulled forward, flipping the woman off her back and onto the mat. They both stood quickly, facing each other again. This time, the opponent charged and Scarlett kicked, landing a foot against the other woman's jaw.

The audience cheered as the blonde dropped to the mat, out cold...

Scarlett threw her hands in the air as the ref called the match to her favor, announcing that she'd cleared her weight class. Circling the ring, she stopped in front of the camera and looked directly into it. She pointed, winked and stuck out her tongue.

Reid and Penelope both looked at each other.

"What was that?" - "What the hell?" … they said at the same time.

Rossi looked over at them. "What?"

The two looked at each other for another moment, before Penelope thought to answer. "Reid?"

"I saw..." he looked over at Dave. "Scarlett has a tongue piercing in..." he told him.

Rossi nodded. "I noticed."

Garcia shook her head. "No... you don't understand. Scarlett doesn't have her tongue pierced. She never wanted one..."

"She made a point of showing us... she knows we'd know that it was new..." Reid stated flatly. "She's trying to tell us something..." he focused back on the match, watching Scarlett's face again.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Scarlett stood at her corner, leaning into Morgan as he un-wrapped her hands.

"You still good?" he asked.

"Good, D. No worries..." she said with a grin. She ran her tongue across her teeth, feeling the stud click against them. Derek noticed the quick grimace.

"Do you think they saw?" he asked her quietly.

"As long as they are watching, he saw..." she said with conviction. "I just need that zip drive uploaded..."

"I got it... I'll get it in..." he told her. "I'll take care of it when you hit the shower."

"He'll see that and figure it out..."

"You better be right baby girl..."

Scarlett stepped back from Derek as the club owner's daughter came towards them. She'd dressed differently from how she looked yesterday. Her designer lines spoke of wealth and lots of it. Scarlett noticed her dark hair had been styled pretty intricately for a fight club scene and her make up was flawless. Not many women would bother with that kind of time for a fight of this caliber. She looked like she was ready for a night out.

"Nice job..." the woman held out her hand. "I'm Kendall Marcus..." she looked Scarlett over as she took her hand.

"Kaitlyn Moore..." Scarlett responded. "Call me Katy," she told her, returning the look she was given.

Kendall cocked her head slightly, considering something. She smiled.

"My father owns this club, but I happen to manage one of my own. You interested in another fight for tonight?" she asked.

Scarlett looked from her to Morgan. "What's the purse?"

The woman grinned. "We are up to five fighters tonight. Winner takes half... twenty-five g's." she told her smugly. "I don't play around..."

"I see that," Scarlett watched her closely. "My trainer?" she asked.

Kendall shrugged. "He can come watch... but there is no submissions. Knock outs only," she warned. "And it's no holds barred, mixed... you fight who is on the ticket. Man, woman, big or small. You fight who you pull..."

Scarlett studied her nails, feigning disinterest. "I have no problem knocking out a man as easily as a woman," she said, letting cockiness leak into her tone.

"That's a lot of cash..." she shrugged. "I'm in..." she told the woman.

"Awesome," Kendall smiled. "Meet back here after you're done in the showers. We'll take you to the venue." With that, the woman turned and left.

Morgan watched as she walked away before moving into the ring next to Scarlett.

"I don't like the idea of getting into a car with them. It's asking for trouble..."

"I know," Scarlett told him. "But they aren't going to let us drive ourselves up into an illegal fight. These locations are kept secret..." she moved over so she had a clear view of the camera.

Morgan noticed. "You still working on something baby girl?"

"Just trying to make sure the message gets across..." she looked into the camera again. "Scarlett lo-jack" she said with a grin.

"They'll catch that?" Derek asked.

"If Spence is watching, he'll be reading my lips..." she caught the camera before leaving the ring. She flashed three fingers behind her back as a signal of 'I love you' to him as she left the gym.

Reid was watching. He turned to Penelope. "Did you see that?" Garcia squinted at the screen as her fingers flew across the keyboard before her.

"No, but Baby Girl just listed on one of the sites... she got her underground invite..." she told the room, distracting Spencer from his thoughts.

"Garcia, can you identify the location?" Hotch asked.

"The site is encrypted... I'm working on it, but it will take a bit... I have the feed," she opened the image to the larger screen on the wall.

This arena looked dark compared to the bright lights of the first gym. A single spotlight ran over the mat in the room which was surrounded by a cage. The audience could be heard but they were in the shadows. Spencer felt tension work itself into his neck as his nerves jumped at the thought of Scarlett moving into that cage.

"I don't like this..." he breathed out.

"Neither do I," Rossi agreed. "Find that location Penelope..."

"We don't have any evidence to move on the location until we get some confirmation that this is where they are holding the missing women," Agent Swan reminded them.

"At the very least we can raid the illegal match..." Hotch told her.

"They aren't running the match yet..." she replied. "We need to play this out a little further..." she stopped short as her phone rang and stepped out of the room to take the call.

Rossi looked over to Hotch. "I don't have a good feeling about this..."

"She's right... but," he stopped when Andi came back in with a stricken look on her face. "What..." he growled out.

"Our uc is bringing in Agent Morgan. Ryan isn't there..."

Garcia let out a little squeak and Spencer grabbed her hand.

"Morgan said they must have grabbed Scarlett from the locker room... her belongings are still there..."

Spencer closed his eyes, blew out a breath, looking for focus. He turned to Penelope. "She said 'Scarlett lo-jack'," he told Garcia.

"What?" Penny looked at him.

"Before she left the ring. She looked at the camera and said 'Scarlett lo-jack'," he repeated. And told me she loved me, he thought to himself.

"Oh... oh!" Garcia shook her head. "The piercing... Reid, she's got to have a transmitter in the piercing. Her own personal lo-jack, so we can track her. She must've been worried this could happen..."

"So we have a way to track her?" Hotch asked.

"I need the information from the transmitter to receive it..." Penelope looked at Spencer. "She'd know that. She'd have left the information somehow..."

Reid looked over at the laptops. "Could she send it coded?" he asked as he watched the data reading out over the computers.

"I haven't noticed anything. I'd have seen an anomaly, Reid," she told him.

Spencer's head turned at that. He stopped reading and thought quickly. "Scarlett isn't an anomaly..."

Garcia looked confused. "I didn't mean- I don't understand..."

"Something she told me once..." he moved the computer screen to get a better view himself. "We were arguing. She told me she wasn't an anomaly..." he blew out a breath and scrubbed at his face. "She said we were a paradox- alchemy... She'll hide it in plain sight, make it look like something else..."

Searching the lists before him, he saw as a name from the schedule jumped out at him. "There, Pens... right there... 'H Curry'..."

Garcia clicked on the name, which should have brought her to a screen with the fighters details and the opportunity to place a bet. Instead the screen flashed as another opened.

"Accept?" hovered on the screen. Penelope looked up at Spencer.

"Haskell Curry is a logician who developed a statement of paradox..." he stopped himself. "Never mind... Scarlett taught me to accept paradoxes... just accept it..." he told her in a rush.

The screen opened and a thread of numbers ran through even as another GPS link opened.

"Reid... the numbers..." Penelope said, transferring the information into another screen. "If we lose this link, I need those numbers to track her on my system."

Spencer closed his eyes, seeing the list of numbers in his head. He read them off to Garcia as she entered them into her own maps.

They watched as the indicator flashed a steady location.

Reid stood and grabbed his coat. "We have an address..."

Hotch nodded and started delivering orders. "Let's move... Gear up, everyone. I want state units in place... We have no intel on what weapons or security are in this building..." he stopped as Morgan moved through the bullpen towards them.

"You okay?"

Derek only scowled.

"I'll be better when you tell me you tracked her..."

"Heading there now..." Aaron looked over at Reid as he strapped into his Kevlar vest. Spencer caught his eye.

"I'm going..." he told his supervisor as he walked past. Hotch nodded. Morgan pulled into his own vest and followed them.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Once they were on their way, Morgan told them what happened.

"She gave me the zip drive before the match. I knew she had the transmitter and she told me you'd get the codes. She knew you'd figure it out..." he told Reid.

Spencer nodded and he continued. "I had to upload it into the computer so her file would end up on the list... I only left her side for five minutes while she was in the showers..."

"She knew they'd take her... she knew, and she understood they wouldn't let you go with her. She protected herself and you..." Rossi stated, knowing Morgan was beating himself up over losing sight of Scarlett.

"And she knew we'd come get her..." he told them, turning to look back at the two men.

It was of small comfort to Reid, as he watched the tablet screen which Garcia was feeding the stream from the cage. He sat up straighter as the lights flashed off, leaving the screen black for a few minutes. Morgan shifted to watch, meeting Reid's eyes.

"You guys getting this?" Garcia's voice echoed softly through the tablet.

"What's happening Garcia?" Hotch asked.

"I... I think they are bringing someone out... I think the match is starting...?" she told them.

Reid held his breath as the lights came back on, and Scarlett could be seen standing in the middle of the mat. His heart kicked up in his chest as she shielded her eyes against the spotlight. He saw her face twist in a feral grin.

"Jesus..." his voice sounding loud to his ears. He felt Derek's hand on his arm as he also watched.

"We're less than ten minutes out..." Morgan growled lowly. Reid cringed inwardly at the unspoken comment. Would that be enough time? He felt the SUV surge forward as Hotch floored the gas pedal.

Scarlett stood inside the caged ring, trying to get her bearings. She looked down at the clothes she'd been changed into, anger fueling her at the thought that someone had touched her while she'd been drugged.

"I told you I'd fight... you didn't have to take this level. I don't like being man-handled or drugged," she shouted out into the darkness that surrounded her.

"Don't worry, baby... you weren't man-handled. I took care of you personally."

Scarlett turned towards the voice that she recognized. "I told you I'd fight, Kendall..." she stated. "Why the theatrics?" she asked, dropping the name for her team's benefit. She knew if everything had gone to plan, they were watching and headed her way.

"You get that Garcia?" Morgan stated. "Kendall Marcus..."

"On it..."

Scarlett looked over at the woman who was entering the light. Looking down at her clothes, she shrugged. "Not my usual style..." she stated indicating the cotton panties and gray tank top. "Something you get off on?"

Morgan shifted beside Reid. "Scarlett, don't push..." he whispered.

Kendall chuckled lightly and moved closer to where she stood. Scarlett didn't move, instead she lifted her chin in defiance as the woman trailed a hand down one of her arms.

When she moved behind her, Scarlett turned her head slightly to watch the other woman's perusal.

When the unsub's back turned towards the camera Morgan's eyes narrowed. "Gun..." he stated, pointing to the small of her back.

"I see it," Spencer nodded, swallowing hard against the bile in his throat. Kendall moved again, running her hands across Scarlett's chest and lifted her shirt a bit, exposing her abs.

"Well?" she asked cockily as Kendall moved to face her again. "Do I pass the inspection?"

"See, I knew you'd play..." Kendall smiled viciously. "You've been in this position before... I could tell," she said darkly.

"Kidnapped, drugged and half naked in a room full of people? No, I can't say that I have... you'd be the first..." Scarlett scoffed, dropping more information to her team.

Hotch radioed in for more back up.

Kendall cocked her head slightly, taking in her demeanor. "Liar..." she breathed into Scarlett's ear, raising the hair on the back of her neck. Pushing back to move away from the breath on her neck, Scarlett turned in a fighting stance.

"Let's get this over with..." she told her, getting tired of the game.

She watched Kendall nod over her shoulder and stepped away as she heard a sound of a chain from behind her.

"Well, baby, see... here's the issue..." Kendall spoke a bit louder. "These people paid a lot of money to see a little bit more than a fight..."

"I kind of gathered that from the women you keep in the cages below... What were there? Thirteen...?" Scarlett threw out, letting everyone know that the others were on the scene also. "They look drugged... you can't satisfy someone who is able to fight back? Or are you just a sadist? Weak and willing is more your style?"

Rossi radioed to the swat team to let them know that there were civilians being held in the lower levels, relaying Scarlett's message.

Kendall rolled a shoulder and pulled the gun from the small of her back, pointing it at Scarlett's head.

"Shit..." Morgan looked out the window, seeing a low row of sloping concrete buildings just ahead.

Reid cringed as the unsub placed the barrel of the gun under Scarlett's chin. He watched as she kept her eyes locked to Kendall's, not breaking contact.

"You're a brave little trooper, aren't you, baby girl... So much anger, so much defiance..." she waved a hand to someone standing at the side. A large man moved into view, carrying a chain.

Scarlett moved to get away but he grabbed her, wrapping the length around her wrists, attaching the other end to a pulley, dragging her up just off her toes.

"Fuck..." she snarled, twisting, trying to loosen the grip. She looked over at Kendall. "What's your game, bitch..."

"This is my game..." she moved around Scarlett, stalking her. When she ran a hand up her thigh, rubbing against her intimately, Scarlett kicked out at her. She moved just out of reach, laughing. "And it's very lucrative..."

"Surprisingly enough, there are plenty of people willing to pay for this kind of entertainment," she stated, pulling the chains a bit tighter so Scarlett couldn't get traction.

"But people like you and me, baby girl... we know that, don't we? The world is full of sick fucks... just like our daddies," she said as she reached up ripping her shirt open. "How old were you baby, when Daddy first came calling?" she sneered.

"Fuck... Fuck!" Reid swore viciously even as Morgan pushed at the door when they pulled up on the scene. He followed him quickly, dropping the tablet to the seat as they ran to meet up with the swat team.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

"She's in the third building," Hotch stated. "Swat will do a sweep of the lower levels, for the others..." he looked over at Agent Swan. "Renee should be with them. We are going in for Scarlett..." she nodded as she followed the first team into the closer doors.

Rossi lead Hotch, Morgan and Reid behind the second team.

Scarlett watched as Kendall stopped to hear something reported by one of the men on the sidelines.

"Take care of it..." the woman snapped. She turned back to Scarlett, backhanding her. She pulled the gun, putting it to her forehead. She pulled the trigger, and Scarlett heard the click of the empty chamber.

"You didn't even flinch..." Kendall snarled, looking into Scarlett's eyes. "What are you, a fucking cop?" She cringed at the look in Scarlett's eyes. Moving quickly, she stuffed the gun back into her waistband, and turned to run.

"Finish her," she ordered to the big man at the edge of the ring as she ran out the door.

Scarlett struggled against the chains at her wrists as the man grabbed her neck. Feeling a pinch and burn, she kicked at him, trying to pull away from the hands squeezing her throat. She couldn't get air into her lungs and spots were starting to form behind her eyes.

Reid saw Morgan launch himself into the man strangling Scarlett. The blow knocked the man off of her and she drew in a desperate breath. She fought to stay conscious as she saw the man stand to attack and heard shots fire from her left.

Spencer stood there, weapon aimed carefully, as he fired three kill shots into the thug. The large man fell dead onto Morgan, who quickly shoved him aside.

Scarlett saw Reid as if through a fog as he grabbed her around the waist, holding her up off the chains.

"Derek!" Reid screamed as he tried to lift Scarlett's dead weight from the hooks on the pulley over head. Morgan was there in a heart beat, reaching above to release her from the apparatus.

They lowered her gently to the ground, Reid pulling her into his arms across his lap, cradling her head against his shoulder.

"Medics!" Morgan yelled out the hall to where other officers were rounding up the large crowd of offenders. "Get the medic over here, we have an agent down!" he bellowed, his voice echoing over the walls.

"Scarlett... Come on... open your eyes for me, beautiful..." Spencer was pleading with her. "Please, open your eyes..." he looked over at Morgan.

Derek knelt alongside them, feeling along his sister's neck. "She's breathing, shallow, but steady and she's got a pulse... her neck's not broken..." he told Reid.

"Scarlett... come on baby girl... fight back..." Morgan added his plea's to Spencer's.

"Katy." Reid cleared his throat. "Katy Scarlett. I need you to open your eyes, I need to see you..."

Scarlett heard them both. She tried to push through the heaviness pulling at her and her eyes fluttered open.

"There you are," Spencer sighed in relief. "Stay with me..."

Scarlett swallowed, the action making her feel like her throat was covered in razors. She looked up and met his eyes.

"Don't try to talk..." he warned her. "Just breathe..."

Scarlett closed her eyes for a second to try to focus and she felt a panic rise in Spencer.

"Stay with me..." he told her, watching her eyes snap back to his. She felt his body shake under hers.

Watching his eyes, she pulled at her reserves to be able to speak.

"I knew you'd come," she told him, brushing a hand to his cheek. "I knew you'd figure it out..."

He sucked in a breath, pulling her closer. "Don't talk..." he watched as the medic moved to hover over her. "Let them take care of you, Scarlett," he told her when he felt her tense at the new face in her line of sight. "I'm right here, Katy. I'll be right by your side..."

Derek had moved out of the way after he'd made sure the medics were handling Scarlett. He moved outside to breathe in some fresh air, coming to stop just alongside the row of cars. He heard Dave talking to one of the victims, dressed similarly to how Scarlett had been dressed.

"Our agent had said there were thirteen women being held... we hadn't realized that there were fourteen..."

Morgan stopped at that. Scarlett wouldn't have gotten the number of victims wrong. Not with her memory... he looked over as the woman spoke.

"I don't know, sometimes they separated me from the others..."

"Dave!" Derek pulled out his weapon, firing, just as Kendall pulled the gun from her back to point at Rossi.

Dave looked down over the body now slumped at his feet. The bullet wound stood out on her temple.

"She tried to pass herself off as one of the victims... her story wasn't adding up..." he grinned over at Morgan. "Nice shot..."

Derek nodded as Hotch joined them. "Kendall Marcus?" he asked.

"Yeah," Morgan looked over to where Reid was walking out of the building, alongside the stretcher that was carrying Scarlett. "There's another body inside, in the ring. Reid got him..."

Hotch nodded. "I heard tactical report it..."

Morgan looked over at his supervisor. "It was justified... the guy nearly broke her neck Hotch..."

Hotch considered something. "Understood," he nodded to Morgan.

Morgan closed his eyes, feeling the adrenaline start to drain from him. He opened them to see Hotch walking over to talk to the medics.

Scarlett felt her eyes getting heavy again as she looked for Spencer.

"I'm right here..." she heard his voice, then Hotch's.

"They think they drugged her again... we have to get to the hospital," Reid was telling Aaron.

"Go..."

They loaded her into the ambulance and Scarlett felt Spencer squeeze her hand. "Hang on, Katy. Hold on to me... keep fighting crazy girl..."

She looked over at him. "I'm trying," she whispered as the world went black.


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

"Dr. Reid?"

The morning charge nurse walked into the hallway, looking at the row of federal agents who were sitting and standing in various positions along the wall of the ICU. They'd all been there throughout the night and no one in the hospital could even consider telling them to go home.

She looked over as a young man stood at her call, looking lost and slightly out of place. The blond agent who'd been at his side the entire night moved from where she'd stood rubbing his shoulder.

"I'm Dr. Reid..." he said quietly, his eyes rimmed red with blackened circles heavy under them.

The nurse looked at him, smiling softly. "Agent Ryan is asking for you..."

The relief that ran through the space was remarkable. Spencer moved through the hall, skidding into the room so quickly that his sneakers squeaked across the floor tiles.

Morgan felt his legs go weak and he knelt to the floor beside Penelope. She leaned over, hugging him tightly. Hotch rubbed his face and turned away to use the phone to let the director know that Scarlett was awake. JJ pulled her phone out to call Will and stopped as Rossi reached an arm over to her. She leaned into his hug.

"She's awake..." JJ said to Will when he answered. "Yeah... I know. Mmm-hmm..." she looked down the hall to where Reid had disappeared. "The doctors haven't come out yet to talk to anyone... He's barely holding on, Will. I don't know how he's functioning... yeah... he's a wreck..." she felt Dave hug her a bit tighter. "No, sweetheart, you don't have to come, stay with Henry. I'm okay, just worrying... Right... Love you too..." she sighed and disconnected the call. Looking up at Rossi, she wiped a tear from her cheek.

Spencer stopped short as he looked in the room where Scarlett lay in the bed, surrounded by machines and tubes. The nurse came back in behind him, pushing him forward slightly as she went back over to where the doctor was standing at the bedside. When she passed, the doctor shifted and Scarlett saw Reid standing there, his hands jammed in his pockets.

She pulled herself up slightly and smiled at him.

"Spence..." her voice was only at a whisper as she lifted her arms to draw him over.

"Try not to over use your voice..." the doctor warned her. He stepped out of the way as Reid moved next to her.

The nurse looked over the bed as Spencer leaned nearer, eying up the tubes skeptically.

Scarlett grinned and tugged at his arm. "You aren't going to hurt me, farm boy... I'm tougher than that..."

When the doctor gave her another look, she stuck her tongue out at him. Spencer slid to the side of the bed, leaning down on his elbow so his face was just over hers.

"Scarlett, don't be a brat," he whispered softly, pressing his cheek into hers. She felt him tremble as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

Spencer felt her move her head, her chin nudging forward and he knew she was telling the nurse and doctor to leave. He could imagine the scowl that would have been on her face, but he didn't even lift his head to look. Instead he pressed closer, breathing in her scent, filling his lungs with what he'd come to think of as home.

Scarlett watched the nurse close the door as she left the room. She felt him begin to shake as he sobbed against her neck. She held him tightly, riding out the storm that ran through him.

After a few minutes, she could tell he was struggling, trying to find some composure. He shuddered, his breath hitching in his throat. She rubbed his back gently with one hand while running her fingers lightly through his hair with the other, touching him constantly to reassure him.

"It's okay, pretty boy. I'm right here..." she whispered, pressing a kiss to his hair. "I'm still right here."

"I can't... I don't know..." he rubbed his face against her neck.

"I know, shh, now baby... I know..." she told him gently. There was a knock at the door and she saw Penelope stuck her head in a crack.

"Knock, knock my dearies..." she called softly. "Can we butt in for a minute before the hospital kicks us out?"

Scarlett nudged Spencer gently. He grunted and took a shaky breath but refused to move.

"Come on, Pens..." she waved her in.

Garcia pushed the door open, Morgan following close behind. She crossed over to the bed and placed a kiss on Scarlett's forehead.

"Oh sweetie," she hugged her. "Thank God you are okay..." she sighed, straightening back up and wiping at her eyes.

Derek reached over and grabbed the box of tissues off the nightstand, handing some to Penelope. He moved to Scarlett's side, looking her over, touching her chin lightly as he turned her head slightly, looking over the bruises on her neck.

"It looks worse than it is, D..." she told him in her hoarse whisper.

"Yeah, sounds like it," he said gruffly. Scarlett saw tears in his eyes as he turned away.

"Hey! Derek... sit," she patted the other side of the bed and scooted over, giving him a bit of room.

He sat close, shifting his arm behind her shoulder so she leaned against it. Scarlett sighed and closed her eyes. When he reached his arm over to pick up her hand and kissed it, she leaned over and kissed his cheek.

Spencer moved off the bed and into the bathroom to wash his face quickly as the others filtered in to check on Scarlett. He looked in, watching Scarlett smile at JJ as Rossi moved over to give her a quick hug.

JJ saw Reid standing back and went over to him. "Spence?" she reached over and touched his arm. "You okay?"

He looked from JJ over to Scarlett. "She's going to be okay..."

"Yeah... she's going to be okay Spence. The doctors are going to come talk to her... so we figured we'd come in real quick, just to say 'hey' before we leave..."

He nodded. JJ gave him a hug, looking into his face. "She's okay..." she told him again. "Keep reminding yourself. She's back now and she's okay... Alright?"

Scarlett watched as JJ spoke softly to Reid on the other side of the room. A little nudge of confusion hit her as she studied him from this distance. When he picked up his head, looking from JJ and met Scarlett's eyes, she could see something there, something not quite right...

"What's wrong with Reid?" she asked her brother. She felt Derek tense.

"What do you mean what's wrong with him... Jesus, Scarlett, we all just went through hell... and the kid took the worst of it..."

"Spence was hurt?" she pulled herself up a bit more, checking him over. Penelope rested a hand on her shoulder.

"No sweetie, not the way you're thinking," Garcia looked over to Morgan.

"Guys, spill it..." Scarlett said, worry tingeing her voice. "Penny?"

"Scarlett, honey..." Penelope sat on the edge of the bed and took her friend's hand. "Baby, you coded..." she paused, letting that sink in.

"Last night after they pulled the vent off... your heart stopped," Scarlett watched as her friend choked up. She squeezed her hand.

"Uh, anyway," Garcia stammered and took a breath. "Reid kinda went ballistic... the doctor sedated him..."

"He's still coming down off of it," Morgan said, hugging her tighter.

"Reid doesn't take drugs..." Scarlett frowned. "Ever..."

"They didn't give him a choice, sis. The doctor had to... Two orderlies were holding him back..."

"You didn't stop them?" Scarlett asked, looking at her brother.

"I didn't know- I was trying to talk him down, but they hit him with it before I even knew..."

Scarlett's scowl deepened. "Wait..." her brain was just catching up. "Last night?"

"Yeah," Derek kissed her forehead. "You've been out for a little over thirty hours... they put a vent on you to help you breathe- but when they took it off, your heart stopped for a few minutes until they were able to shock your rhythm back... This is the first time you've been coherent since they brought you in..."

"The doctors were worried about brain damage... they weren't sure if you'd come out of it," Spencer said in a soft voice. Scarlett turned towards him, reaching for his hand.

"I am so sorry, baby..." she whispered. Penelope moved so Reid could sit beside her. "I'm sorry you had to go through that," she looked around the room. "All of you..."

Scarlett felt Reid's hand turn and hold hers tightly. She pulled him closer, looking into his eyes. He closed them quickly, turning his head.

"The doctor told you to limit using your voice," he said, avoiding her gaze. Scarlett sighed.

Hotch cleared his throat as one of Scarlett's doctors entered the crowded room. The others looked up.

"We are leaving..." Aaron stated, seeing the man's concern at the group of people in his patient's room.

"Agent Ryan needs to be able to rest..."

"Understood..." Hotch nodded over at Scarlett. "Please, try to sleep..."

Scarlett saw his slight smile. "Yes, sir..."

"It's good to hear your voice, Agent... but kindly follow the doctor's orders. Hush..."

Scarlett grinned and nodded. She hugged JJ and Rossi as they left the room, following Hotch.

The doctor looked to the others and was met with Scarlett's scowl. "This is my family... they are staying..." she told him as fiercely as her voice would allow.

"Scarlett..." Morgan shifted to stand. "Let the doctor do his job, baby girl... We aren't going anywhere..."

The doctor moved alongside the bed. He looked Scarlett over, noting the agent to her side kept her hand in his... moving his gaze up to meet Reid's, he nodded at the young man.

"I apologize for my associate last night... He didn't realize..." the man stopped short, seeing Reid scowl darkly.

"No need..." Spencer stated, cutting him off.

"Well- regardless, I want you to know, he's been taken off your wife's case..."

Scarlett caught Reid's quick glance and raised her eyebrows a bit. He squeezed her hand, quickly.

The doctor finished checking her over, looking to each of them. "We will need to follow through with some testing, but it seems as though you've made it through the worst of it..."

"When can I go home?" Scarlett asked. Spencer rolled his eyes.

"We can run some tests today... if they come back clear, perhaps the next day... I'll see what I can do about setting them up myself..." he nodded to the others as he left the room.

Scarlett looked up at Spencer. "Wife, huh?" she asked with a grin. When he just blushed, she chuckled.


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Scarlett watched Reid stare out the window a little while longer. She saw a look cross his face and he shook his head.

"Spencer..." she called to him. He jumped slightly, turning to her. She scooted up a bit in the bed as he moved closer.

"Don't move around so much, Scarlett. You're going to pull something out," he warned, his voice soft. When he was close enough, she reached over and grabbed his arm, pulling him towards her.

Reid looked at her questioningly.

"Sit with me, pretty boy..." she told him. "At least until Derek and Penny get back... Just sit with me." She patted the bed beside her.

Spencer looked her over, shifting carefully beside her on the bed.

"Reid," she said his name in a huff. "I am not made of glass. I will not break..." she told him when he acted afraid to touch her. She twisted a bit on the bed, pulling him down against the pillow beside her. She felt him shiver as he closed his eyes tightly and grabbed her hand.

Scarlett watched his profile, taking in the circles around his eyes and the lines creasing his forehead.

"When was the last time you slept, farm boy?" she asked quietly.

He frowned darkly. "When they knocked me out..." he told her flatly.

Sighing, Scarlett reached over and traced the lines around his eyes with a light touch. She felt him suck in a breath and hold it. When he turned and looked into her eyes, she saw pain heavy in his hazel gaze.

"I slept for a few hours, Scarlett," he repeated in a softer voice, his eyes locked to hers.

"Mmm... 'kay," she breathed out, moving her hand to stroke his cheek. He pressed a kiss to her wrist as it passed by his lips.

"What did they hit you with?" she asked him softly. She felt him shudder slightly.

"Haloperidol," he whispered, closing his eyes to avoid her gaze.

"Spencer..." she trailed the pad of her thumbs under his eyes, holding his face in her hands. "Baby, look at me..." When he opened his eyes again, she saw the fear there.

"It's not your fault..." she told him firmly. "You didn't _take_ anything..."

"I recognized the feeling as soon as it hit me, Scarlett," Reid swallowed hard, closing his eyes a moment. He licked his lips before pressing them together in a thin line. His brows furrowed into lines above his nose before he looked back at her again.

"I... uh, I recognized it and I remember thinking, 'Thank God', because I knew..." he blew out a shaky breath and stared down at his hands. "I knew it would take the pain away... and I didn't want to be here, anymore..." he looked back at her with a sideways glance.

"I didn't even fight against it, I just let it take me... I didn't care, it was easier to just let go," he watched Scarlett's hands move down to cover his own. He focused on her fingers, watching as she gently pried his fists open, when he hadn't even realized he was clenching them. She stroked his palms lightly over the marks where his nails had dug into his skin.

"When I heard the flatline... Scarlett- I couldn't take it..." he shuddered, the memory sweeping over him. He saw it all replay in his mind clearly...

Derek pushing him back from the bedside so the doctors could work on her... the orderlies grabbing his arms, trying to take him from the room. He knew he'd shoved at them, pulling away long enough to reach Scarlett's side once more, begging her not to leave him, reminding her that she'd _promised_... A nurse was in his face, telling him that he had to leave... he heard his own voice yelling at her that he wasn't leaving his wife's side... then the blissful burn of the drugs hitting his system...

Spencer shook his head, clearing the memory at the sound of Scarlett's voice.

"Reid, look at me..." Scarlett's voice broke into his reverie. He looked back over at her again.

"Scarlett... I didn't even fight it..." he said again. "I wanted it to take me under... Jesus," he raised a shaking hand. "Look at this..." he said. She took his hand and pressed it against her chest over her heart, covering it with her own.

"You're coming down, pretty boy. It's going to happen. You have to let it run it's course out of your system," she stated.

"That's not my point, Scarlett..."

"Then was is your point, Doctor Reid?" she teased with a smile. She took her free hand and brushed some of his hair from his face. He looked confused.

"The point is, that I am a drug addict, Scarlett..." he scowled. Scarlett tipped her head at him slightly.

"I remember quite well you telling me that... Actually, I remember hearing something about you dealing with it years ago, I believe... Right?"

This time Reid rolled his eyes. "Right..."

"So," Scarlett drew her hand down over his cheek, holding him to continue looking at her. "If I called the doctor in right now... told him you were coming down hard and he said he'd order you another dose to level it off... would you take it?"

Spencer pulled away from her slightly. "No! Of course not..." he scowled. "What the fuck, Scarlett. You know I don't want any drugs..."

"Not even yesterday..."

"Not really..." he ground out.

"So it wasn't you, asking for them..."

"No... Scarlett, you're confusing me," he told her, brow furrowing once again. She kissed the lines that formed there.

"I'm pointing out, Spencer, that your choices right now aren't any different than they were last week. The drugs are there, as long as you choose not to use today, you'll be alright. One day at a time, baby. You know you wouldn't have taken them yesterday if you'd been given a fucking choice... you know you aren't going to ask for them now, even though you could get them..."

"But, you don't understand! Jesus, Scarlett... there's a part of me that wants to... a part that even _right_ _now_ wants to say yes!" he closed his mouth tightly, anger showing clear on his features. "There is always that part of me that thinks, maybe... maybe this time I can control it. I can just use it to forget... and that this time I can control it enough that it won't control me," he stared up to the ceiling to avoid her gaze, not wanting to see censure there.

"I know I can't... I know it doesn't work that way- but yet, there is still that part, that whisper in the back of my mind that sometimes comes pushing back in to my thoughts. You have no idea..." he felt his face burn in shame. "You don't know..."

Scarlett didn't say a word the whole while he spoke. She listened to the pain and fear that he was putting to voice. She watched his face, memorizing the lines and shapes of the dearest part of her soul. When she saw a red flush stain his skin, causing him to look away, her heart broke.


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

"Spencer," she called his name softly.

He didn't respond, continuing to stare ahead. Reid closed his eyes when he felt her hand press against his cheek. He fought against the tears he felt pricking behind his eyelids, even as he felt her move next to him.

"Lover... Open your eyes and look at me," she told him, angling herself against him. She brushed his hair back, gently stroking his face until he complied to her request.

Reid looked into her sea green eyes, saw them fill with tears and felt his heart stammer in his chest.

"Don't ever make the mistake of thinking yourself weak, Spencer Reid," she told him huskily. "Every day that you choose not to use, you prove that you're strong. So don't ever tell yourself that your fear makes you weak. Facing that fear every day, proving over and over that you can go against it and still not use... baby, that just shows your strength."

Spencer watched her eyes, unable to look away. He felt her breath fan his face as she leaned nearer, pressing her lips lightly across his own. The flash of heat from her touch hit his blood like quicksilver and he felt his body tremor next to hers. He didn't move, didn't even blink, as he watched her watching him. She continued to stroke his cheek and jaw, gently drawing him closer until their faces were side by side on the pillow. When she closed her eyes, her lashes brushed against his cheek and he kissed her eyelids lightly. He cleared his throat, moving his head slightly to kiss her forehead.

"I don't feel strong, Scarlett," he told her softly, trying to hold himself from trembling. "I felt so weak... I never felt so helpless... I didn't know what..." he stuttered, thinking back to the moment he'd heard the doctor's calling her code. "I just..." he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block the memory as it slammed into him, tearing into his heart as an unimaginable pain.

"Shh, Spence... don't..." she told him, pulling him closer. He touched her face, running his thumbs along her cheeks.

"God, Scarlett..." Reid breathed out, the reality of what had happened catching him off-guard as the drug was beginning to wear off in his system.

"I thought I lost you..." his voice hitching. "They said your heart stopped... Scarlett, I heard them..." he felt as if his throat closing up and struggled to drag in air. Panic began to claw his way through his chest.

"Reid!" Scarlett pressed her hands to his face. "Reid!" she moved closer so her body was pressing along his. "I'm right here, baby. Look at me, Spence. Now..."

"You weren't... you were gone... you left me! Scarlett..." he shuddered. Scarlett could see perspiration beading on his forehead.

"I didn't go, baby. I stayed... I'm right here!" she told him adamantly. She held his face firmly, forcing him to look at her. "I. Am. Right. Here."

He sucked in a ragged breath, still panicking. Scarlett felt his body twitch under hers.

"No. Spencer, stop. Listen to me, please, Spence, please..." she kissed him, effectively stopping him from rambling out another word. She felt him stiffen, as if unsure how he was supposed to react.

"I'm right here farm boy. I didn't leave... I stayed," she told him, kissing his lips as he froze. "Spencer, feel me, right here..." she spoke softly, placing his hand on her cheek. "See?" she asked, peering into his face. "Can you see I'm right here?"

Scarlett waited, watching his eyes. His breathing was still erratic, so she leaned in and kissed him again, trying to make him catch his breath.

"What if I wake up from this... and you're gone? What if this is the dream?" he choked out.

"Spencer... focus. Feel me? I am here," she whispered against his lips, letting her breathing slow. She drew in another deep breath through her nose, exhaling slowly, letting her own breath out into his mouth.

After a few times, he began to follow the pattern. She smiled slightly as she watched him close his eyes, trying to find the calm. He leaned in, touching his lips to hers, barely, as he opened his mouth slightly, inhaling her breath.

Scarlett felt his lips moving against hers as if drawing strength from her. She could feel his body still trembling at times, but his shallow breathing was beginning to regulate.

Spencer drew in another shaky breath through his nose, taking in Scarlett's scent as he released it slowly into her mouth. She brushed her lips against his again and he repeated the cycle again, realizing she was stopping him from hyperventilating.

"Sorry," he said softly, breathing the word into her mouth.

"Shh..." she breathed back with a chuckle. Reid felt a chill to run up his spine at the sound. He pulled back just enough so he could focus in on her face.

"Scarlett..." he whispered her name, taking in her breath again, watching her eyes.

"It's alright now, Spencer..." she told him, reaching her hand to his cheek. "It's okay..."

"I can't think straight..." he mumbled.

"I know, baby. That will pass..." she said gently. Scarlett could see his eyes go unfocused for a moment as the drugs still ran in his system.

"I don't like this... I don't like feeling like this, Katy," he told her, his voice cracking slightly. Reid shifted, looking her over.

"You shouldn't be taking care of me..." he complained. "I should be taking care of you..."

Scarlett smiled and kissed him again, letting him pull her closer as he leaned into the kiss. She felt his lips move over hers, softly at first, then steadily changing. A desperation began to work itself into it, as if he were afraid she were going to disappear. His hands shook as he touched her face and when she closed her eyes, leaning into his touch, she felt him nip at her lip.

"Open your eyes, beautiful..." he whispered. She obliged, opening them to meet his own. He sighed and kissed her again.

"You wouldn't open your eyes for me..." he told her. "I couldn't get you to open your eyes for me," Spencer repeated with a quick hitch in his breath.

Scarlett locked her gaze to his, nudging her nose against his cheek. "They are open now, Spence. I'm still right here," she reminded him. He nodded and took another stuttering breath.

"I'm going to have withdrawals," he told her, his face heating in embarrassment.

"And we'll deal with it, lover," she told him. "Together... we'll take care of each other, sweetheart." Scarlett pressed her hands to his cheeks.

Spencer kissed her, moving against her to hold her tight.


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

Scarlett shifted carefully in the bed, making sure she didn't jostle Spencer. They'd spent the last hour talking quietly, until fatigue began to take it's toll on him. He'd tucked his head against her chest, listening to her heart beating while she talked and she noticed as his weight became heavier as sleep took over. She smiled softly, dropping a kiss to his brow and continued running her fingers through his hair.

When the nurse stopped in to check on her, Scarlett raised a finger to her lips. The older woman smiled and nodded as she came over to check the read outs on the monitors.

"Are you comfortable?" she asked Scarlett quietly, indicating Spencer's head laying against her chest.

Scarlett grinned. "More than..." she replied.

"Dr. Allred will be in shortly to talk to you," she stated, writing something down in the clipboard. "We were able to set your tests up for this afternoon..."

Scarlett nodded. "Whatever it takes to get me out of here faster," she shrugged, brushing a piece of hair off Spencer's face. "I just want to go home..."

"Don't push it, sis..." she heard Morgan's voice at the door. Penelope moved close beside him, going directly over to Scarlett's side to give her a hug.

"Shh," Scarlett told them, indicating Spencer with a glance. "He _just_ finally fell asleep..."

Morgan scowled. "And you?" Scarlett grinned.

"I slept enough," she told him. "I feel fine, D, seriously..." she rolled her eyes when he looked over to the nurse for confirmation.

"Everything is showing good with her heart monitor, O2 levels are fine... I was actually going to disconnect the monitor, but..." the nurse smiled and looked down at Reid's head resting over the wires. "I'll just wait," she said quietly, looking at Scarlett. "Is there anything else you need? It's past time for your pain medication..."

"No," Scarlett shook her head. "I am totally fine," she told her. "I do need something though," she said to the nurse.

"I want to know the dosage of Haloperidol that was given to Dr. Reid," she stated.

The nurse considered something for a moment, then nodded. "I'll find that out for you."

Scarlett met Morgan's questioning gaze.

"He's already worrying about withdrawals," she told him, looking down into Spencer's face. "I just want to know how much his system is going to be handling."

Penelope bit her lip. "It was pretty bad, Katy-bird. JJ stayed with him after he dropped like a rock."

Scarlett scowled. She knew the drug was potent, but to knock him out, it must have been a higher dose than she'd imagined. Given his past predilection towards such drugs, he may very well go through withdrawals.

"I need to get home," she muttered. "I don't want to deal with this here..."

"Scarlett, you need to listen to the doctors. Your health is important too," Morgan told her.

"I'll listen to the doctors, Derek... but everything is _fine_," she stressed, "and when they confirm that, I am getting him home. I can follow their instructions from there."

"Alright, baby girl... I'm not going to argue with you. If the tests all come back fine and the doctors say you can go home, I'll drive you there myself," Morgan said.

"But," he qualified, "if they say you stay... you'll stay," he said as he looked down at Reid. "He'll be the one making sure you listen to them, not me."

"Right... fine, can we not worry about it right now?" Scarlett smiled up at her brother.

"There's nothing to worry about... you wouldn't hurt him by not taking care of yourself and I know he'll be on my side..." Morgan shrugged.

"Oh, ouch..." Penelope wrinkled her nose. She looked at Scarlett. "He's right though, Scarlett. Reid won't be happy if you try to walk out of here AMA..." Morgan snorted.

"That's putting it lightly. Pretty boy will pitch a fit," he laughed.

"About what?" Spencer mumbled against her chest. Scarlett sighed and brushed his hair back.

"Shh, baby. It's nothing," she said and kissed his head. She looked up at Derek. "He's talking in his sleep..." she explained quietly.

"I'm not sleeping..." Reid protested, but didn't open his eyes.

"How can you be sure?" Morgan chuckled.

Scarlett pointed towards his feet. When they moved slightly, she looked at Derek.

"He twitches in his sleep. It's almost like his brain can't rest all the way. His feet, his legs... even his hands sometimes. He's like a puppy," she teased.

Spencer curled up closer to her. "Not a puppy," he grumbled. Morgan laughed.

"Alright, now. Stop it before you wake him up," she told her brother. She looked over at Garcia. Her friend was pulling stuff from her large bag at her feet.

"What'd got there Pens? Anything good?" she asked, watching her drag out some knitting needles.

"I'm making a hat..." Penelope grinned, holding up a blue and gray ball of yarn. "And I grabbed my iHome, if you want to listen to your music..." she said, setting the unit over on the side table.

Scarlett smiled. "Sounds good, except I have no idea where my phone went... I left it back at the BAU..." she felt Spencer move at her side and looked down. He reached over and pulled out her phone from his front pocket.

"I knew you'd be looking for it," he told her, his voice still husky from sleep. Scarlett took it from him, handing it to Derek to hook into the player.

"I didn't mean to wake you up, Spence," she said softly. Sleep would offer the most comfort from the symptoms of withdrawing from the drugs. Scarlett had hoped he'd crash and sleep through the worst of it.

Reid turned his head into the crook of her neck, inhaling deeply. When he nuzzled closer and nipped at her neck, he smiled at her giggle.

"That tickles, farm boy... no shenanigans..." she teased.

"Mmm..." he stretched and kissed her neck again. "Shenanigans are fun..." he teased back. "And you didn't wake me... I wasn't sleeping," he told her.

Scarlett rolled her eyes. "No, not at all..." she smiled. He looked at her closely.

"How are you feeling, crazy girl?" he asked, watching her eyes.

"I'm great, farm boy... the doc will be in soon, they set my tests up and they are ready to disconnect me from this machinery..."

Reid sat up in the bed and looked over at the monitors, reading the numbers.

"They think its safe to do that, even before they get the test results?" he scowled.

"Yes, Dr. Reid... they wouldn't be doing it if they thought differently," she cocked her head at him, pushing a finger into his chest. "No second opinions, please..." she grinned.

"If you want to play doctor with me, we'll have to do that later, at home," she said, watching him blush as he looked from her to the monitor again.

"Seriously, Scarlett..." he pulled himself off the bed, heading into the bathroom to wash his face. He felt a headache beginning to pound.

"Seriously, Reid..." she mimicked his tone. When he came back into the room, she could read the pain in his eyes.

The doctor came into the room at the same moment, preventing her from asking him about it. Scarlett watched as the man moved over to the monitors, confirming the charted information. He looked down at her, smiling brightly.

"Well, you certainly recover quickly," he stated, taking her wrist to check her pulse. "The nurse told me you refused the pain medication?"

Scarlett saw Spencer frown and closed her eyes briefly, looking for patience. He was going to mother her to death if she allowed it.

"I didn't _refuse_ anything- I didn't need it, so I didn't take it," she clarified for Spencer's benefit. The doctor looked confused for a moment, but then just shrugged.

"That's fine," he said. "You are the only one who knows if you are in pain..."

"Nope, I feel fine," she smiled.

"Okay, well, we are going to send you for an MRI. We'll use that information along with some functional tests to establish if there seems to be any concern about brain damage," he looked over to the read out on the heart monitor. "Everything seems perfectly fine with your heart function..."

"We will have you follow up with a cardiologist, who may want to do some tests..."

Scarlett sighed as she could see an endless parade of doctors, appointments and tests in her near future. She bit at the side of her thumb as the doctor continued discussing the follow up...

She felt Spencer at her side and looked up as he took her hand. He covered her thumb with his hand, blocking her from her nervous habit. The doctor looked at the couple as he finished his consultation.

"I don't feel that anything looks like it will present a complication. You are very lucky, Agent Ryan, considering..."

Scarlett nodded, feeling Reid squeeze her hand. "Thanks," she said, a little gruffly. "When can I go home?"

Morgan grinned at Reid. "She's got a bit of a one track mind..."

"You noticed?" Spencer retorted. The doctor looked back to Scarlett.

"Let's see how the tests fare before committing to your release," he told her nonchalantly. Scarlett frowned.

"We can disconnect the monitor, now..." he said trying to appease her. "And get you transferred out of ICU into a private room... At least you'll feel better about that," her doctor smiled.

Scarlett blew a breath out. "Fine," she pouted. She looked up at the IV hanging over her shoulder. "This can go too?" she asked.

"It's a quicker way to deliver medication..." he shook his head at her scowl. "And it helps so you won't get dehydrated..."

"I'll drink enough water..." she interrupted, holding her arm out. The doctor grinned and shook his head.

"Alright, we'll have the nurse remove it also..." he told her.


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Spencer sat in the chairs along the wall in the hallway, shaking his leg nervously as he waited for Scarlett to be brought out from the MRI. He stood and paced, sitting back down quickly when felt a wave of dizziness over take him.

He swore softly under his breath just as Garcia came to sit beside him.

"You okay, poodle?" she asked gently, seeing his hands shake as he ran them through his hair.

"No," he scowled darkly, looking at her. "I feel like shit..." he admitted.

Penelope leaned over and put her head on his shoulder. "I wish there was something they could do, sweetie..."

"They did... or offered anyway," he said with a sigh. He stuffed his hand into his pocket, pulling out a prescription bottle.

"They gave me step down doses... pills to help wean me off the injection they gave me," he looked at the bottle like it was going to bite him.

"Oh..." Garcia watched his face closely. "And you don't want to take them?"

"It's only going to prolong the inevitable, Penny. I'll still get withdrawals..." he closed his hand over the bottle, swallowing hard when he felt bile rise in his throat.

Penelope noticed his face turn ashen as sweat broke out on his forehead. She rubbed his back and met his eyes when he looked at her. She took the bottle of pills and read the label.

"How bad is it going to get, Reid?" she asked gently.

Spencer sighed and closed his eyes.

"Uh... besides the headache and tremors, I'll more than likely experience nausea and vomiting, restlessness, skin irritation, agitation, drowsiness, vertigo and insomnia..." he stated, sounding as though he were reading from a textbook. "There is also a slight possibility for seizures and hallucinations, but those are less common..."

Garcia looked him in the eye. "And you don't believe prolonging that inevitability is a viable option?" she asked. When he gave her a scathing look, she shrugged.

"I'm just playing devil's advocate here," she told him. When she reached over and placed her hand on his arm, she felt him tremble. "I just thought it'd be better for you to deal with at home. And I know you won't leave until she does..."

"No! I'm not leaving..." he stammered as a chill wracked his system. He closed his eyes again, fighting against the tremors. "Fuck..." he swore, grabbing the pill bottle from her and heading into the rest room.

Penelope wiped at her eyes before he came back out, not asking or mentioning it again. She figured if he took the pill, it would be obvious soon enough in the absence of the worst symptoms. Instead, she leaned against his shoulder and he took her hand, giving it a quick squeeze as they waited together for Scarlett's return.

A bit later, an orderly came around the corner, pushing Scarlett in a wheelchair. Spencer shook his head when he noticed she'd tucked her legs up under her, sitting on them instead of the seat.

"I can walk just fine," she was complaining to the man.

"I'm sorry, it's hospital policy... you don't want to make me lose my job, do you?"

Scarlett sighed heavily. She quickly scanned the hall, her eyes lighting on Spencer immediately.

"Hey, you..." she smiled up at him.

"Hey, yourself..." he grinned back. "Scarlett – let these people do their jobs," he nudged her legs, until she sat correctly in the chair.

"Fine..." she pouted, looking over at Penelope. "Please tell me they at least got me out of the fish bowl..." she asked, hoping that she wasn't going back to the ICU.

"All set, pumpkin. Private room, no more full view windows..." Garcia handed a page of paperwork to the orderly.

"Thank God..." she sighed. She reached over and caught Spencer's hand as he walked alongside her.

"Lead the way..." she told them.

"Your brother took your stuff and is waiting on us..." Penelope told them. "If I know him, he's got the game on," she laughed.

When the orderly pushed her into the room, she saw Derek sitting on the bed, channel surfing through the stations.

"Anything good on?" she teased as she pulled herself out of the chair and jumped into the bed alongside him, grabbing the remote from him.

"Nothing that I could find..." he said with a grin. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed her forehead. "I'm happy to see you are back to your usual annoying self..." he teased. Scarlett stuck her tongue out at him and started scrolling through the channels herself.

Reid watched them interact a moment longer before stepping into the bathroom as a wave of dizziness hit him. He stood in front of the mirror, staring at his reflection and splashed cold water on his face. Looking into the mirror again, he sighed, seeing that distant look in his eyes that he was certain Scarlett would notice. He closed them, feeling the room spin around him.

When he stepped out, he saw the others look at him and felt his face heat.

"Spence..." Scarlett's voice called out to him. He looked towards her, his body starting to feel heavy.

Scarlett moved over in the bed, closer to Derek, to make room for him to sit alongside her. She saw Reid's eyes narrow as he looked at Morgan. Anger lit behind the hazel glare.

Derek noticed also. "Really, kid?" he asked incredulously. Penelope sucked in a breath, moving to Spencer's side. He looked down at her, a strange look in his eyes.

"C'mon, Reid..." she said gently leading him over to the edge of the bed. "Sit down before you fall down..."

Scarlett exchanged a look with her brother. "Pens..." she said quietly. "Explain please..."

"umm..." Garcia looked away from them, unsure what to say.

Spencer scowled darkly, trying to focus on the conversation. Instead his mind drew in on Morgan's arm still around Scarlett's shoulders and he heard himself snarl.

"Get off her," he growled, his voice sounding strange in his ears.

Morgan raised his eyebrow. "I'm not 'on her', Reid..." he snapped back, angry at the look on his friend's face. "You better check yourself..." he warned.

"Oh, no, no... we aren't doing this..." Penelope pushed herself in front of Reid when he took a step forward. Derek sat up straighter, looking Spencer in the eye.

"What is wrong with you?" he asked in a softer tone, noticing the vacant stare there. "Penelope... if you know what's up, you better say something..."

"I don't know... not for sure... could this be a reaction to coming off the Haldol?" she asked.

Scarlett looked from Penelope to Spencer. "No... but aggression is a side effect from _taking_ it... if it wasn't a big enough dose to knock a person out..." she said, a warning tone lighting her words. "Spence?" she watched him sway on his feet.

He shook his head, trying to clear his mind as her voice came to him. When he focused in on her, he saw her sigh.

"Come here, baby..." she told him, reaching for his hand, pulling him forward.

Spencer sat on the edge of the bed, hard. He turned slightly, looking into Scarlett's eyes.

"What did you take, love?" she asked, nudging him gently. When he reached in his pocket and handed over the bottle of pills, she read the label.

"How many?" he heard her ask, her voice sounding distant. She opened the bottle and quickly counted the pills, noting two were missing.

"He said the doctor gave them to him, so he could step down off the original dose, slowly..." Penelope said quietly. "I wasn't sure if he took them or not, I didn't ask... maybe about an hour ago? When you were in the MRI... I just told him that no one would blame him if he did... because he didn't want to go through the withdrawals while he was here..."

Morgan shook his head. "Yeah, because this is better..." he ground out, as Scarlett pulled Reid back onto the bed beside her.

"Shut up, D." she told him hotly. "I told you I wanted to take him home..."

Spencer heard everything around him as if it were coming from the bottom of a well. He closed his eyes tightly.

"It's alright. He probably didn't need the full dose to step down... but he'll be fine. We'll be home tomorrow and we'll deal with it there..."

Scarlett blew her hair out of her face as she held onto Spencer tightly. Morgan moved over to his friend's side, pulling off his shoes and lifting him more fully onto the bed. He shook his head slightly when Reid moved closer to Scarlett's side, ducking his face into her neck.

"Yeah, he's _nothing_ like an over-grown puppy..." he teased, catching his sister's eye.

Scarlett smiled. "Yeah, but he's my 'over-grown puppy'," she shot back. She pushed his hair off his forehead and kissed him. "I think I'll keep him..."

"Right..." Derek moved back to the other side of the bed and handed Scarlett the remotes for the TV and the iHome. "Here," he told her, dropping a kiss to her lips. "You take care of your boo... and yourself. I'll come back later to check on you both."

Scarlett nodded and looked over at Penelope. "You might as well go too, sweetie," she told her. "I don't think I'm going to be much company."

"Sure, okay..." Garcia grabbed her purse from the chair and stopped to look at Reid. "I'm sorry I said anything..." she told Scarlett.

"It's alright Pens, really. This or the withdrawals, either way it wasn't going to be pretty..."

"Okay... right..." she said before she followed Morgan out the door.

Scarlett sighed as she leaned over Spencer and pressed a kiss to his hair. "We'll get through this together, farm boy..." she told him, quietly.


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Scarlett followed her brother up the stairs into their apartment.

"I'm telling you, D. for the last time... I'm good. I don't need you hanging over me..." she protested as he shifted her bag from his shoulder to the floor in front of the door.

"Look, Katy- the doctor only released you with the orders that someone would stay with you..." he dropped his voice a bit as he heard the front door opening below. "And we both know in a few hours he's not going to be in any shape to help out..." his head tilting towards the sound of Reid's voice.

"And I'll take care of him, if it happens," Scarlett stated quietly.

"I know, baby girl. And who'll take care of you?" he scowled when she made a face. "No arguments. I'm staying... at least for tonight. Might as well make the best of it..." he opened the door, following her inside.

"Fine," she sighed. "Just don't get in my way... I'm already getting edgy with all the hovering..."

Morgan rolled his eyes. "We aren't hovering..."

Spencer entered their apartment with Penelope. "Hotch gave us both time off... So, for at least the next couple days, we aren't doing anything..." he stated, looking at Scarlett. "I don't care how much your OCD drives at you... you're going to follow the doctors orders and relax..."

Scarlett opened her mouth to argue, just as her phone rang. Looking at the caller ID, she looked over at Morgan. "You told Mom?" she glared at him.

"Of course I told Mom," he told her. "She'd skin me alive if I hadn't... I only gave her a clipped version- that you were in the hospital, but fine, so you can thank me for that... and I told her you were coming home today _and_ that I were staying with you, so there wasn't any reason for her to come out here..." he grinned at her her scowl. "You're welcome, little one..."

Scarlett shook her head and answered the phone. "Hi, Mom... yes, I'm home... just walking in the door, now..." she moved through the apartment over into the bedroom to talk to her mother.

Reid went into the kitchen and took a bottle of water from the fridge before moving to the bathroom to grab some Tylenol from the medicine cabinet. As he swallowed the pills and chugged the water, he noticed Morgan watching him.

"You okay, kid?" Derek asked as he came back into the living room.

"Yeah," he said quietly. "Headache starting, but its manageable..."

"I'm going to start dinner," Penelope told them both as she headed into the kitchen. "My own vegetable lasagne," she smiled. "Guaranteed to make you feel better..."

Spencer sighed, half wishing his friends would go home, however well meaning their intentions were... he wanted a hot shower, Scarlett, and about two days of sleep. He scrubbed his face, heading towards the bedroom.

"I'm going to get a shower," he told them, figuring it was at least one thing he could check off his list. As he crossed over into the bedroom to get himself some clean clothes, Scarlett was sitting cross legged in the middle of the bed, finishing her phone call. She looked up as he entered, smiling at him. His heart kicked up in his chest at the sight. An errant thought of how close he'd come to losing her ran through his mind causing him physical pain.

"Okay, Mom, I know... right... I'll call you tomorrow. Love you too," she was saying and shifted towards the edge of the bed moving up onto her knees, waving Reid over to her. He moved to the bedside, looking down into her eyes.

"Bye, Mom..." she said, shutting off her phone, tossing it aside.

Scarlett looked up at Spencer's face, seeing pain there.

"What'cha doing, cutie?" she asked with a half-smile. He shook his head slightly, trying to clear his thoughts.

"I, uh, was going to grab a shower," he told her. "Garcia's making dinner... I wanted to get cleaned up..." his voice faltered, confusion clouding his eyes for a moment.

Scarlett watched him and reached out to take his hand. It shook slightly, so she held it between her own.

"Mmm, sounds like a good idea..." she moved off the bed, pulling him along behind her. She opened a few drawers, pulling out clothes for both of them and tugged him into the master bath. She saw him throw a look back out of the bed room as she shut the door.

"They are adults, Reid..." she told him. "No body is going to die of shock to think we showered together... Okay?" she asked gently.

"Right, umm, sure, okay..." he squinted slightly, licking at his lips nervously. "I don't..." he sighed as his brain lost track of what he'd wanted to say. "Scarlett, I can't think straight," he scowled.

"Then let's not think, pretty boy..." she told him, as she slid up onto the bathroom counter. Pulling him forward, she unbuttoned his sweater and took off his tie. She tugged off his shirt and lifted his t-shirt off over his head.

"You want help washing your back, sweetie?" she said playfully as she trailed her hand down his chest. Some of the scars still stood out against the paleness of his skin. She pressed her lips against one.

Spencer felt a warmth spread over his body, warring against the tremor that threatened to work it way to the surface. He closed his eyes, not speaking, instead answering with a nod.

"'Kay," she nudged him back a little. "Take off your shoes, farm boy..." she told him as she started to take off her own clothes. When she had stripped down to her underwear, she turned around to see him still standing in the same spot.

"Spence," she said, moving around him to turn on the faucet. "Are you going to shower with your shoes and pants on, doll?" she asked with a slight smile.

He looked at her quizzically, entranced by the way her hair hung along her back, just skimming across the top of her panties. Reid swallowed hard, trying to clear his throat.

"Uh, Scarlett?"

She turned at the soft sound of his voice, hearing something there that sounded lost.

"What, baby?" she asked. She moved closer, looking up into his face.

He looked her over, as if studying her. Scarlett waited for a moment, letting him gather his thoughts.

Spencer sucked in a frustrated breath, closed his eyes and scowled. He leaned over her and bumped his forehead to hers. Scarlett held her breath as he moved his hands to her face, his thumbs tracing her jawline. He opened his eyes, looking into hers, as he lowered his lips to cover mouth.

Scarlett released her breath, feeling his mouth move over hers slowly. His hands shook and he clenched them to stop the involuntary action, even as he continued to kiss her gently. His fisted hands rested against her shoulders and she took him by the wrists, lowering them to hold her around the waist. She wrapped her own around his neck, returning his kiss. His fingers kneaded into the soft flesh, pulling her against him and Scarlett heard the slight rumble in his chest as he groaned.

"Hey," she said softly, tugging at his hair. "Shower?" she reminded him. Reid pulled forward against her fingers until he caught her lips again.

"Shower..." he said, running his hand over her hair. "Right..." he replied distractedly. Scarlett chuckled.

"Okay, farm boy... Shoes, pants... come on," she teased. "Water's gonna get cold..."

Spencer grinned, kicked off his shoes and shucked out of the rest of his clothes before moving into the shower under the spray. He let the hot water run over his hair, tipping his head back to push it from his face. He blinked a few times to clear his eyes as Scarlett moved to join him under the water. He handed her the shower gel and her loofah and she covered his back in the soap, kneading at his tense shoulders working out the knots there, before turning him to rinse off.

When she reached over to grab the shampoo, he took it from her, turning her around so he could wash her hair for her. Scarlett stood still, feeling his fingers work the soap into her scalp, then through her length of hair. He switched places with her, ducking her under the water and rinsed her off. Reid watched her as she finished her shower and Scarlett cocked an eyebrow at him.

"Done?" she turned slightly and smiled, teasing. She shut off the water.

"Yeah..." he said gruffly, reaching over for a towel to wrap her in. Following her closely, he pulled her against him.

"Scarlett..." he caught her chin in his hand when she looked up at him. He bent forward and kissed her lips lightly.

"I love you," he told her softly, nudging her back a step, towards the bedroom. Scarlett grinned.

"I love you, too, Spence," she trailed a hand down his chest, stopping him short when he made a move to take her to the bed... "But we left the bedroom door open," she reminded him. Reid scowled slightly and sighed.

"Tell your brother and his work wife to go home," he growled playfully, nuzzling into her neck. Scarlett giggled as the stubble on his chin tickled her sensitive skin.

"Fine," she told him with a wink. She pushed the bathroom door open a bit and yelled out into the other room.

"Derek!"

"What?!" he answered back.

"Go home... I want to get laid..." she laughed when Spencer turned bright red and shook his head.

"That is _not_ what I meant, Scarlett..." he mumbled, embarrassed. He heard Morgan chuckle in the other room.

"Not happening, sis..." he answered back. "Penelope made dinner, and you are going to eat..."

They heard a chair scrape the floor and Derek's footsteps come closer. Spencer rolled his eyes.

"I'm not hungry..." she told him. She saw his shadow in the bedroom doorway. "Seriously, Derek..."

"Seriously, Scarlett..." she heard him sigh heavily. "Reid... she hasn't eaten anything since yesterday..." he told Spencer, pulling him onto his side of the argument. "And that was only mashed potatoes..."

Spencer looked down at Scarlett. "Really?"

"I'm not hungry..." she shrugged. She felt him shake his head as he pressed a kiss to her brow.

"No, Scarlett, you have to eat..." he told her. She heard Morgan pull on the bedroom door.

"You have ten minutes until its on the table..." Derek chuckled as he shut the door. "Have fun," he laughed.

"Very funny," Scarlett called back to him. She watched Reid move, pulling his clothes on beside her.

"Are you pissed at me?" she asked softly. Spencer lifted his head quickly and caught her eyes.

"What?" he asked, surprised. "No..." he scowled slightly. "I'm a little pissed at myself..." he said. "I hadn't even realized you didn't eat..." he yanked a hoodie over his head.

Scarlett reached up and pulled the hood back off his wet hair. She tugged at his neck until he leaned forward enough that she could reach his lips and she kissed him lightly.

"You don't need to..." she started.

"Obviously, someone does..." he took her hand, pulling her through the bed room out into the living room. He threw a glance over at Morgan who was lounging across the couch.

"Besides, _some_ of us would need more than ten minutes in a bedroom," he said snarkily, throwing a grin over at Derek.

"Oh, ouch..." Morgan laughed at Reid's teasing.

Spencer pulled the kitchen chair out for Scarlett. "So eat..." he told her. Leaning closer, he whispered in her ear.

"You're going to need your energy..."

Scarlett felt a chill race up her spine and shivered.


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Spencer washed up the dishes from dinner, handing them to Scarlett as she dried and put them away. He felt her eyes on him again as a chill wracked his body and he fought against the wave of nausea that hit him.

"Spence... let's leave these for later," she told him, tossing the towel onto the countertop.

He breathed out slowly, trying to maintain control. He shrugged slightly, looking over to meet her eyes.

"I must look bad if you're willing to leave dirty dishes laying around," he tried to joke.

"Mmm, just a little, farm boy," she told him, nudging him towards the living room and the couch. When he sat down heavily, she moved next to him, brushing a lock of hair from his face.

"You're starting to sweat, babe..." she told him gently.

"Yeah... I'm not feeling that good all of a sudden," he admitted with a shrug. He leaned back on the couch and closed his eyes, feeling the room begin to spin.

Scarlett saw his eyes roll back into his head and leaned over him. When he began to shake, she pulled the throw off the back of the couch and wrapped it around him.

"Thanks," he mumbled.

She sighed and looked over at Penelope, who was sitting in the chair, knitting. Her friend looked from her to Reid, a concerned look on her face.

"He's going to be okay?" she asked. Scarlett nodded.

"It just has to pass..." she told Garcia. "Nothing else will help, except time..." Scarlett caught Morgan's gaze.

"Nothing in your bag of tricks, Katy?" he asked, looking over at Spencer.

"Maybe... It's in the spare room," she told him, knowing he was referring to her collection of herbs and holistic remedies. "I can try to make him a tea... that might help a little. Why don't you grab them for me and then go stay in my old apartment?" she told them. "It's still open... my least doesn't run out until next month. At least you can watch TV there..." she scowled slightly.

"You'll still be close enough if I need you- and I think he'd feel better if he wasn't worried about you both seeing him like this..."

Derek frowned. "I guess..." he said, knowing that Reid had fought against the symptoms of the withdrawals for the last hour, mentally agreeing that it was probably because they were there. He stood up, looking at Garcia.

"What do you think, baby girl... you want to hit the xbox for awhile?" he asked Penelope.

Penny looked from Scarlett to Reid.

"You sure?" she asked Scarlett.

"Yeah..." Scarlett looked over at Spencer when he sat forward again, scrubbing at his face.

"Hey, kid..." Morgan nudged Reid's shoulder and was met with a blank stare. He sighed. "Pens and I are going to play some games upstairs. If you two need anything, just give us a shout, okay?"

Spencer looked over at Scarlett. "You don't have to stay," he told her, feeling guilty as another pain gripped his insides.

Scarlett arched an eyebrow. "You think you can make me leave?" she asked him incredulously.

"Derek can..." he mumbled, pulling the blanket tighter around him and leaning against her. Scarlett pulled him closer, pressing a kiss to his forehead.

"No," she said softly. "He couldn't..." she looked over at her friends. "Go... get my stuff and let me handle this..." she told them.

Morgan sighed. He leaned over the couch and dropped a quick kiss to Scarlett's brow as he touched Reid's shoulder gently.

"Okay, sis. Do your thing..." he told her. "We'll be just upstairs..."

"'Kay..." Scarlett leaned forward as Penelope drew her into a hug. "Keys are by the door..." she told them, turning back to Spencer.

When he moaned and doubled over in pain, she went into the kitchen, grabbing a trash can and the bottle of ginger ale she'd picked up earlier. She set everything down beside the couch and he picked his head up, catching her eye. Garcia moved to Scarlett, handing her a black bag that contained her herbs and left to follow Derek upstairs.

"This is ridiculous," Reid complained as another shiver wracked his body. His teeth chattered and he bit down, clenching his jaw to stop it.

Scarlett moved over to the fireplace and turned on the gas, igniting it. She crossed into the bedroom, pulling the comforter off and bringing it into the living room. Spencer couldn't stop himself from laughing at the sight of her dragging the huge king sized blanket behind her. She peeked out from under it, grinning at him.

"What's so funny, farm boy?"

"You. You're lost in there..." he told her, pulling her across his lap, wrapping the down cover around them both. He snuggled against her, kissing her cheek.

Scarlett tucked the blanket in around his legs, making sure his feet were covered and leaned back into his arms. She felt the tremors pull through him again and she sighed as she brushed a kiss against his throat. His muscles twitched in his arms.

"That's not from being cold," she said quietly, running her hand against his thigh as the muscle there seized. She looked up at his face, seeing the pain there as he tried to breathe through the worst of it. She pulled his leg out straight, rubbing at it briskly, forcing the cramp out of the muscle. He left out a breath as it eased off, sweat beading his forehead. Scarlett moved back into his arms, settling against his chest once again.

"You really don't need to stay with me Scarlett..." he told her, kissing her hair and breathing in the scent of her shampoo. "I know what to do... I've been through this before..." he said, his face heating in a blush. He felt her hand move to press against his cheek as she turned in his arms.

"Would you feel better if I wasn't here, pretty boy?" she asked him quietly, noting the embarrassed flush staining his skin. She ran her fingers along his jaw scratching lightly through the few days growth of beard there.

"I'll leave if you want me to, Spencer. Whatever would be easier for you..." she told him.

He reached for her hand, opening her fingers and kissed her palm. When she pressed it to his cheek again, he opened his eyes, looking down into her face. He sighed and shook his head.

"No. I'm going to be selfish, and beg you to stay..." he told her gruffly, kissing her wrist. "Just having you close makes me feel better..."

"You never need to beg for anything with me, handsome... I'd do anything for you," she responded, curling up against him once again.

Scarlett felt him lean forward as his stomach cramped violently. She moved out of his way as he stood, hurrying into the bathroom. She heard him begin retching and resisted the urge to follow him. Instead she moved to the kitchen, putting on some water to boil for tea. Pulling out some packets of herbs, Scarlett made up a brew that she'd hoped could help him get through some of the worst symptoms.

Spencer stayed in the bathroom a little longer, until the nausea passed. He rinsed his mouth and face, looking at himself in the mirror. He looked drawn and pale, his eyes blank. He shook his head, irritated by what he saw. Scowling darkly, he let the irritation begin to turn to anger with his own weaknesses. When he heard music begin playing, it distracted him from his self-flagellation, and he turned to open the door.

He watched Scarlett move around the kitchen, making something on the stove that smelled like a forest in autumn. Reid let his curiosity pull him forward even as the soft music moved around him, filling his head, erasing his prior dark thoughts. He considered that, as he moved into the room where Scarlett was...

"I love watching you move..." he told her, his voice quiet, as if awed. "You are so beautiful," he shook his head slightly as if to clear it. "I'm in love with a witch..."

Scarlett stopped adding herbs to the pot on the back of the stove to look at him. The tea she'd made for him was steeping alongside it, but she'd decided to add the aromatherapy as an extra bump, to cleanse the space. She saw his face, a sheen of sweat standing out against his pale skin and smiled softly at his confession. She shook her head as she chuckled and pat his cheek as she passed him.

"Duh..." she told him, rolling her eyes in jest.

Spencer watched her as she poured some of the tea over a spoon of raw honey. He looked into the cup, breathing deeply.

"What is that?" he asked.

"A mix of herbs that I brewed into a tea that will help detox your system..." she told him, handing him the mug. "Drink it..."

"What's in it?" he asked, taking a sip.

"You really want to know?" she asked, leaning back against the counter as he drank it. She shrugged when he nodded.

"It's green tea, and I added burdock root for cleansing, echinacea to boost your immunity. There's juniper berries and orange peel in it too, with a little ginger for your stomach and chamomile to help you rest..." she told him. "The pot boiling on the back of the stove has all of that, too... and I added jasmine and lavender to it, to help clear the air, and maybe help you relax..."

"I figured it wouldn't hurt, right?" she asked touching his chest lightly.

"No, I don't think anything can hurt at this point..." he drank some more of the tea, hoping that it would work.

Scarlett carried the pot over to the table beside the couch, setting it on a trivet. She pulled the discarded blanket off the couch and looked back to where Reid was watching her.

"C'mon, Spence, come sit with me. We'll listen to the music and chill out for awhile," she told him. He nodded slowly, as if he had to concentrate to even accomplish that small action. She took the mug and set it on the table in front of them, glad to see he'd finished it.

Reid moved into the blanket Scarlett held out for him, waiting patiently as she lifted it up over his shoulders. He sat on the couch, pulling her back onto his lap, wrapping her in his arms. She bunched the comforter around his feet again and felt him sigh.

"I hate feeling like this..." he said again, anger tingeing his voice.

"I know, baby," she told him softly, kissing his cheek. "I hate seeing you feel like this," she said, looking into his eyes.

"It'll pass... you'll be okay," she ran her hand along his cheek, brushing his hair back behind his ear, trailing a finger down to his collar bone.

He swallowed hard, breathing in through his nose, scenting her cologne.

"You put perfume on?" he asked, nudging his cheek to hers. Scarlett grinned, dropping a quick kiss to his mouth. She turned her head slightly exposing her neck. He could smell the scent along her pulse and behind her ear.

"It's not perfume, farm boy..." she teased. "It's patchouli oil and I added a little rosewood. It's for clarity, centering and comfort..." she told him.

"It smells good," he told her huskily. "You smell good..." he nuzzled into her neck, laying his head against her shoulder and closed his eyes.

She sat there, watching him as his eyes drifted closed. Reid heard her began to sing along softly with the music and shifted closer.


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Spencer knew he was dreaming... somewhere within the dream he had told himself that he was, as his mind always had a way of doing- reminding himself of the difference between fantasy and reality.

He heard Scarlett singing and that part he wasn't certain if he was listening to her or remembering, but in the dream he was dancing with her. He smelled her perfume and held her tighter, pressing a kiss into her neck, nipping at her collarbone.

He heard her laugh that throaty chuckle he loved so much and felt the familiar stutter in his heart at the sound.

"God, Scarlett..." he tried to pull her closer, but when he reached for her she was gone.

He looked around the room he was in, darkness settling over him like a shroud. Reid felt his weapon's weight heavy in his hand. Turning a corner into a doorway, he cleared the room, shining his flashlight up a set of metal stairs. He climbed it, hearing the sound of the metal ringing in his ears, warning himself that he had to be quieter or he'd be heard. He tried to remember everything Scarlett had taught him about his stance...

Moving onto the next floor, around yet another corner, he felt his adrenaline kick as he saw a little girl hiding in a corner against the wall.

"Are you alright?" he moved quickly over to where she was huddling. "I found her..." he stated into his com-link on his sleeve. He picked the girl up into his arms, hugging her close against his chest.

"It's alright now, everything's going to be okay... I've got you..." he felt himself shake in relief as the child wrapped herself around him. "I've got you..."

"I knew you'd find me, Daddy..."

Spencer woke with a start, his breath hitching in his chest as he jumped up from the couch.

Gasping for a breath, he looked around his darkened apartment, confused. The room was quiet, he noticed right away that the music had stopped playing. Looking around, Reid felt unsettled when he didn't see Scarlett. He scrubbed at his eyes, feeling sweat rolling down his face.

Spencer walked through the living room, into the bedroom, looking for her. When he didn't see her there either, a panic started to rise in his chest. He tried to calm himself, thinking she'd probably gone up to her old apartment for something. Morgan and Garcia had gone there... He'd just go upstairs and check...

When he opened up the door, he felt a chill hit him as he started falling.

Scarlett had woken up and her first thought was to check on Reid. Seeing that he was still sleeping, she pulled herself away from the couch as quietly as possible, so not to disturb him. She went into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water and then headed over to her music, switching her playlist.

She startled a bit when she heard him call her name, and saw him jump up from the couch.

"Spencer?" Scarlett moved over to his side, noticing how badly he was shaking. "Sit down, Spence," she told him softly. "It's okay, I'm right here..."

His eyes were out of focus and his face was coated in sweat. She tried to take his hand, but he pulled away, backing up.

"Hey," she tried again to wake him out of the nightmare with her voice. "Reid... Come on, sit down..."

He stepped towards her just as his legs gave out from under him. Scarlett grabbed him around his waist to keep him from falling and grunted as his dead weight hit her.

"Shit..." Scarlett angled herself towards the couch, nudging him over. She got him as close as she could before he slid to the floor. Moving to straddle his legs, she leaned over him, patting his face gently.

"Reid..." she called to him, shaking him a bit. "Come on farm boy, wake up..." she raised her voice a little. She felt a wave of relief when his eyes opened, although they weren't completely focused.

"Spence," she pushed him a bit harder. "Come on, handsome... all the way back..." she said. Brushing her thumbs across his cheeks, she held his face, looking into his eyes.

"Let me see those pretty hazel eyes, baby..." she told him when he tried to close them again. Scarlett saw him struggle, shaking his head a bit as his eyes reopened, a little clearer this time. She sighed.

"That's it, farm boy," she pressed a kiss to his brow. "Come back to me..."

Spencer jumped a little, disoriented, as he tried to figure out where he was. He dragged in a sharp breath, smelling Scarlett's scent and focused on that, pulling himself out of the nightmare.

Scarlett felt him shake in her arms as he leaned forward into her embrace. When she felt him grip her tightly, she let out a sigh of relief.

"There you are..." she said softly, looking down into his face. She saw him scowl slightly.

"I couldn't find you..." he stammered out in a breath. "I was looking for you, and I couldn't find you..."

"It's okay, Spence," she told him, pushing his hair back. "It was only a dream... I didn't go anywhere, I'm right here..."

He looked around quickly, getting his bearings.

"Why are we sitting on the floor?" he asked, confused. Scarlett laughed.

"Because, big guy, you decided to take a walk in your sleep... and when your body decided to stop, you dropped like a stone... this was the best I could do..." Spencer looked up at her.

"You fainted..." she shrugged.

"Did I hurt you?" he asked and hesitated a moment. "Men don't faint..." he scowled at her.

"Okay, you passed out then," she amended to spare his pride.

"Did I hurt you?" he asked again, checking her over.

"No, handsome. I kind of fell on top of you..." she moved to straighten up and move off him to prove her point but he pulled her down against him.

"Don't... don't go," he sat up straighter, wrapping his arms around her tightly. "Just stay..."

Scarlett kissed his hair as he leaned his head against her chest.

"Okay, pretty boy. I'm not going anywhere..." she ran her hands along his hair, down his neck and back, reassuring him with her touch. He cleared his throat, looking up into her face.

"I love you, Scarlett..." he kissed her nose and she wrinkled it in a smile.

"I love you, too, Spencer..." she ran her hand along his hair again. "It was just a bad dream, baby..." she said softly, still seeing a sadness in his eyes. "Everything is fine..."

"I just..." he shivered slightly and felt her arms tighten around his shoulders. "I couldn't find you... I can't deal with that feeling... Like half of me is missing..." he looked into her eyes again, studying them.

"And everything that has happened in the past couple days, hell, _weeks_... has just compounded your fears... which manifested itself in a nightmare, Reid," she told him, trying to make him think in a more analytical fashion.

"I know, but..." he shook his head. "There was a little girl..." he told her, closing his eyes tight, remembering... "we were searching a building, and I found a room... there was a little girl hiding there, maybe four or five..."

Scarlett cocked her head to the side, listening to him. His voice shook and he took a steadying breath.

"I got her, I mean I picked her up... protecting her..." he looked back up at Scarlett. "She looked like you..." he whispered. "Or what I imagine you'd've looked like at that age, anyway..." he shrugged.

"You did save me Spencer... you found me, you got me..." she said, touching his face.

"Yeah... but no... when I picked her up, she called me Daddy," he said quietly.


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter 41

"Oh..." Scarlett tried to school her features when she felt surprise register. She looked away from him and felt him sigh. Reid could feel her tense in his arms.

"Right, well..." she couldn't think of what to say to that and found herself trying to find a way to change the subject.

"Scarlett..." he nudged her slightly, drawing her eyes back to his face. "Can we at least talk about things like this without you going into flight mode?" he asked, watching her closely.

She sucked in a deep breath and closed her eyes and Spencer could tell she rolled them behind her lids.

"Never mind..." he felt his face flush in embarrassment and looked away.

"No..." she moved back into his line of sight.

"I told you, I know there are things I have to work on and this is one of them. So give me a little leeway... but I'll talk, Spencer. I won't push you away..." she rubbed her temples, closing her eyes again.

"I don't understand, Scarlett. Why is it so difficult for you? If you just..." he stopped, swallowing hard. "If you don't want kids, let me know..." he said. "I want to know we can talk about this..."

"Spence..." Scarlett heard a sadness in his voice. "I told you before... I want kids..." she shook her head when a strange look crossed his face. "Reid..." she scowled and took his face in her hands.

"I want _your_ child... all the reasons I mentioned before still stand," she told him. "I- I am not good at looking ahead. I can't stand the thought of making plans, thinking out a future and having everything turn to dust..." she moved to get up off his lap, but he held her tight.

"Stay..." he told her. "Please. Don't leave..."

Scarlett tried to relax. "I wasn't going anywhere... I was going to pace," she told him, biting on her thumb.

Spencer smiled crookedly, taking her hand from her mouth and kissed her thumb.

"I know..." he said softly, looking down at her fingers. "But, just stay..."

"Right," she responded and blew out a breath. "'Kay..."

Scarlett leaned towards him, settling her head against his shoulder. She felt his hands rub her back lightly as his thumbs moved in little circles along her spine.

"I don't want to talk about the future Spencer, because I can't imagine there even being one without you being the biggest part of it... and that scares me. It scares the hell out of me to think that if I put those dreams to words that something is going to happen that'll take it away... I don't want to jinx it..." she sighed and turned to look up at him.

"That sounds incredibly lame..." she told him.

"Crazy girl..." he kissed the crease between her brows as she frowned. "I get it... trust me, I do..." he stroked her jaw with a finger, watching her closely.

"I just need to know that we are heading in the same direction... I guess that's my insecurity," he shrugged. "But I understand what its like to have the ground drop out from under you... so I need to know where I'm stepping next. I like to have some sort of a plan..." he pulled her closer, tucking her against his chest. Scarlett listened to his heart beating, feeling the warmth of his body transferring to hers.

"So, what are your plans, Reid?" she asked, holding him tighter. "Tell me how I fit into them..." she said, moving her head slightly to reach up and press a kiss to his throat. She watched as he swallowed and reached over to kiss his adam's apple.

Spencer felt her lips moving over his neck and closed his eyes. When she moved to his ear, he groaned and turned towards her, trying to catch her mouth with his.

"Tell me," she whispered in his ear as he felt her breath fan his cheek.

"Scarlett, it's getting hard..." he heard her husky laugh and she wiggled in his lap...

"I know..." she interrupted him with a teasing giggle.

"... to think..." he finished, rolling his eyes. "You are such a brat... get your mind out of the gutter," he admonished her with a grin.

Scarlett pressed her lips together, trying not to laugh and pulled away from him a little.

"Sorry," she pretended to pout. "I'll behave..." she told him. "Please, continue..."

Reid watched her skeptically... "Right..."

"I promise. I won't touch you until you are done talking," she told him, making a motion of crossing her heart. "Or until you ask me to," she grinned.

Spencer laughed. "Why don't I think you'll play fair?" he asked, taking her hands in his.

"Mmm, I don't know... because you know me so well?" she told him with a smile. She pulled her hands from his, setting them in her lap. "No touching... Talking..."

"Okay..." he waited for a moment as she sat watching him. "I want to have a future together, Scarlett..." when she nodded, he continued. "I want to know that you consider it as an option, about us... getting married, having kids... the whole thing. It's something that can happen..."

"Moving in together..." she added, not taking her eyes from his face.

"Right, yes... that too..." he said with a nod.

Scarlett breathed in slowly, focusing on his eyes. "And we did... we moved in together... it's happening, just fine, without any long drawn out plans..."

Reid watched her closely. "Right, okay, but..." he stopped talking for a moment when she closed her eyes. He tipped his head, waiting for her to open them.

"But?" she asked, looking at him again. She ran her tongue over her lips quickly, as she leaned forward on her knees.

Spencer caught a glimpse of her breasts down the front of her shirt and looked back to her face. When she bit the side of her lip pulling it between her teeth, he felt his breathing quicken.

Scarlett pretended not to notice. She avoided his eyes, moving just slightly on his lap by straightening her leg to pull up her sock.

"Spence?" she leaned back, meeting his gaze again. Her hair fell forward across shoulder, and she watched his hand move to push it back.

"What?" he asked as he tucked her hair behind her ear. Scarlett smiled slightly shifting forward. She shrugged her one shoulder, causing her shirt to slide a bit more. She blinked up at him.

"You were saying..." she pressed her lips together. "About planning out things?" she pouted a little.

He cleared his throat, his eyes going from her lip back to her eyes.

"Scarlett," he said huskily. "You aren't following the rules..."

Her eyes widened, as if in shock.

"I'm not?" she asked innocently. "But, I'm not touching you..." she raised her hands in front of her, looking at them. Scarlett leaned forward again, moving her face just a breath away from his. She smiled slightly when he shifted under her moving her even closer. When he tried to kiss her, she leaned back.

"See? Not touching..." she grinned. Reid moved his knees up behind her, sliding her forward on his lap.

Scarlett straddled either sides of his hips. His legs bumped into her as he leaned his back against the couch, keeping her close.

"We're just talking..." she told him. When he tried to nuzzle her neck, she pulled back. "We're planning our future..." she angled over him, just out of his reach, her hair brushing against his skin. Spencer moved under her again, arching against her.

"Okay, I give up..." he told her. "I cave... I capitulate... surrender..." he pulled her closer, groaning as her body finally came in contact with his. Scarlett chuckled.


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter 42

"I'm just teasing, farm boy. I like playing with you..." she felt his hands move through her hair as he reached up to kiss her lips. He made it just too easy to distract him.

"No more playing," Spencer told her, feeling a heat burn through his body. He pulled her back down, nipping under her chin and down her throat.

"Spence," she said his name softly, whispering into his ear. "I love you..."

He shivered as he felt her breath caress his face and turned to catch her mouth under his.

"As I love you..." he told her as his lips took hers. He felt her smile. Scarlett pulled back just a little, looking into his eyes.

"You, Spencer Reid, _are_ my future. You are my present... even my past..." she raised her hands to cup his face, running her thumbs along his cheekbones. "You are my everything... and whatever comes, I will find it by your side, 'for all time'..." she told him. "That, I promised to you..."

Scarlett felt him shift under her, moving to his feet. He reached down, lifting her easily up into his arms and carried her into the bedroom, setting her down on the mattress.

When he stood again, stepping away from her, Scarlett curled her legs up against her chest. She watched him move across the room, opening up one of his drawers, before turning back to her. Tilting her head, she looked at him as he knelt down at the side of the bed.

"Reid... What are you doing?" she moved closer, lifting his chin to meet her eyes.

"You reminded me..." he told her, pulling her knees over to the edge of the bed, until she was bumped up against him.

"And don't call me Reid..." he grinned, looking back up into her face.

Scarlett ran her hands through his hair. She leaned over him, dropping a kiss to his head.

"Reminded you about what... _Reid_..." she teased, tracing his smile with her finger. She pressed a kiss to his lips.

"God, how I love this smile," she told him.

"You always make me smile, _Ryan_," Spencer reached up to kiss her again. "_Pour tous les temps..._ for all time..." he told her as he looked into her eyes.

Scarlett watched as he opened his hand, holding her ring out to her.

She kissed his temple and he took her hand, sliding the ring back onto her finger once again.

"Please don't ever take it off again..." he asked her.

"I promise Spence," she agreed. "Anything I can imagine, anything I dream about, you are the greatest part of that..." she told him as he kissed her knuckles, looking back up into her eyes.

Scarlett leaned into him, meeting his lips in a kiss. He stood, pushing her back onto the bed, moving his lips over her cheeks and down her jaw. When he heard that soft mewling noise hum in her throat, he smiled, pressing a kiss against the hollow of her neck.

"I think I remember making you another promise... to kiss you all over, the moment I got you home," he teased, pulling her shirt off over her head. He began trailing light kisses down her sternum to the edges of the blue lace of her bra.

"Yeah, I think I remember that too..." Scarlett giggled as he brushed a kiss alongside her ribs, tickling her. When he trailed his fingers along behind his lips, she twitched and laughed out loud.

"Stop," she told him breathlessly.

Reid gave a sly grin as he retraced the line across her skin and she tried to back away.

"That tickles you, Katy?" he teased, moving over her, pinning her down.

"No..." she lied, trying to squirm away.

"Mmm, I think I'll have to test this theory..." he said, grabbing her arms above her head, holding them together with one hand, while running a light touch down the side of her ribs with the other. When she laughed again and twisted under him, he tucked her legs under his own, pinning her down.

Spencer leaned forward, kissing her stomach, watching as her muscles rippled under his touch. When she raised towards him, he reached behind her back to unclasp the bra. He lifted the lace, moving it over, as he ran his fingers across the soft underside of her breasts. She sucked in a quick breath at the touch, feeling a chill raise along her skin.

Scarlett saw the corners of his eyes wrinkle as he grinned. He placed a kiss between her breasts, following his lips quickly with his tongue and her breath hitched. When he blew softly on her skin, she shivered and felt her nipples harden.

Reid brushed the sensitive skin of her breasts with his beard. He felt Scarlett pull her wrists, trying to free her hands.

"I'm not done yet," he told her, clasping her wrists tightly.

"Spence..." he watched her face flush as she breathed out his name. "Please..."

He moved his other hand across her hip, to the juncture of her thighs, feeling her heat through her yoga pants. He groaned as she moved against his hand, shifting himself in between her legs.

Scarlett arched against him, feeling his length pressing against her core.

"Please, what?" he asked, nipping lightly at her shoulder and along her collarbone back up her neck.

She wrapped her legs around his hips, pulling him down against her.

"I want to touch you," she told him, rubbing her cheek to his. She pulled her hands free when he released his grip.

Scarlett reached down, taking hold of the hem of his t-shirt and pulled it up over his head. Her nails scratched lightly over his shoulder blades as he shifted to remove the shirt from his arms.

Reid felt his muscles tense under her touch. He threw his shirt and her bra off the bed and lay back down across her, pressing his chest to hers. He heard her sigh as she tugged on his hair, lifting his head so her mouth could find his again.

"Katy..." he shifted away from her a bit when she ground against him. "Take it easy..." he breathed out in a huff as he tried to check his body's reactions.

"Spencer, I don't want to hear another word about slowing things down or taking things easy..." she growled playfully.

"As a matter of fact," she told him as she bit at his neck, "I don't want you to talk anymore," she teased as she pushed up from the bed and flipped him onto his back. She climbed on top of him, rubbing her heat against his erection through his lightweight pants.

"Unless it involves you taking off the rest of your clothes and climbing on top of me, naked, hot and sweaty, I'm not listening to another word..." she told him as she leaned over him face to face and bit her bottom lip.

He reached down to her hips, tugging off the rest of her clothes and felt her thumbs hook into the waistband of his as he shifted to allow her to pull them off.

"Better..." she told him with a wicked grin. When he felt her hand move down his hips, he quickly grabbed her wrist.

"No..." he said, pulling her hand away. "Can't take it right now..." he muttered. "You're going to make me a liar about needing more than ten minutes..." he warned her.

Scarlett linked her foot behind his knee and slid to his side, dragging him over on top of her. She heard him groan as she rubbed against him again.

"You set the pace, then..." she told him as he settled over her. "But I'm warning you, I'm not going to last for ten..." she gasped and arched as he slid into her.

"...minutes. Or seconds..." she growled and bit his shoulder.

"Christ..." Spencer didn't move for a moment, trying to reach some semblance of control. He felt Scarlett's teeth scrape his skin and his body responded.

"Katy..." he felt her shake her head.

"Talking again..." she breathed out in a huff as she tensed under him.

Reid dug his fingers into the pillow behind her head as an orgasm ripped through her body, threatening to take him along with her. He pressed his face into her neck, holding back.

Scarlett rode the wave that rippled through her senses letting go of the tension that gripped her. She dragged in a breath, panting against his skin, sweat slicking their bodies. She kissed his brow as it furrowed in concentration.

"Cheater..." she said huskily, knowing he was thinking of something else to keep himself in check.

Reid nipped the cord along the side of her neck, causing a shiver to run through her.

"I'm not cheating," he said gruffly, breathing in the scent of her skin. "I'm pacing myself," he told her.

"Mmm-hmm, right..." she pulled his mouth to hers, kissing him deeply. "Then what are you thinking about so hard," she teased, tracing the lines between his brows. She saw his cheeks redden slightly and she grinned.

"Goldbach's conjecture..." he admitted, looking down into her eyes. She laughed and he felt his heart race against his chest.

"Oh, thank God for math problems," she giggled as she moved against him, drawing him deeper. Spencer smiled and shook his head.

"It's not cheating," he told her again, picking the rhythm back up. "It's control..."

"Control... right," she closed her eyes, letting him take her towards that edge again. "You take control..." she told him. "I'll follow," she teased.

Reid grit his teeth when he felt her body tightening around his. Slowing his movements, he nudged her nose with his.

"Are you complaining?" he asked, trying to distract himself.

"Absolutely not," she opened her eyes again, watching him. "Whatever works for you, farm boy..." she linked her legs around his hips, crossing her ankles behind his back. Rocking her hips slightly, she matched his movements, maintaining eye contact.

"Does this work for you?" she teased, noticing his concentration slipping. She wrapped her arms around his neck, moving her mouth to his ear, nibbling lightly over the area where he was most sensitive. He growled and she felt it rumble through his chest, up into his throat. She turned and caught his mouth, taking the sound into her own.

"I love that sound, tiger..." she told him, the words spoken roughly against his lips. Scarlett felt him tense as he moved above her and she arched to meet him this time.

"Katy..." he growled out against his clenched jaw. "Come with me..." he told her.

His words burned in her blood and she let it ignite, following him as he came.

Spencer dropped his weight against her, unable to hold himself up any longer. Her breath came in gasps and he tried to roll off of her, to give her breathing room.

"Stay," she told him, holding him still. He felt a glimmer of satisfaction in the fact that her voice sounded as shaky as he felt. He lay back down, nuzzling her ear as he set his head on the pillow alongside hers.

"...staying," he agreed. He felt her hands move over his neck and down his shoulders as she stroked his skin.

"I'm sweaty..." he complained.

"Mmm-hmm," he heard her agree. "Me too..." she pressed a kiss to his hair. "We'll take a shower in a little while..." she told him, snuggling closer. "Right now, I don't have the energy to care."

Reid laughed. "Me either..." he brushed her hair back over her shoulder, kissing her nose. "Make it a bath, though... I want to soak in the tub with you..."

"Sounds good to me," she responded, stretching out under him.

Spencer moved to her side, taking her along with him, so she was now laying across him. "I'm a better pillow than a blanket," he teased, moving her hair so it was fanned across his chest. He ran his hands through it, tugging lightly.

"I love your hair," he told her softly, studying the color as it highlighted in the early rays of sun coming through the window. A deep sable brown picked up the red running through it, looking like sparks of fire to his eye. He stretched a curl out along his chest, watching it spring back to its shape.

Scarlett chuckled. "You are easily amused, pretty boy..."

"Sometimes..." he grinned, turning slightly so she rested on his arm. He faced her more fully, tracing her jaw line with his fingers. As his brow furrowed slightly, Scarlett watched his tongue lick his lips in his habit when he was thinking of something.

"What?" she asked, wondering what was running through his head.

"Just, something popped into my mind..." he shrugged.

"Which was?" she pried. Reid smiled slightly.

"_Though she be but little, she is fierce_..." he told her quoting Shakespeare's 'A Mid-Summers Night's Dream'.

Scarlett laughed. "What in the world made you think of that?" she asked.

Spencer blushed. "I, uh... I just had an errant thought run through..."

"About Shakespeare?" she joked.

"Um, no..." he shrugged. "Of you, during the match the other night..."

"Oh, I see," she grinned. "You liked that, huh?" she teased, making a muscle with her bicep. He laughed and shook his head.

"I think you are fucking amazing, Katy Scarlett..." he told her, running his hand over her arm. "I don't know why I let anything you do surprise me..."

"Fierce, huh?" she reached over, touching his cheek. "I think I like that," she studied him briefly, kissing his lips. "And I know I like that I do still surprise you, at least occasionally..." she smiled softly, running her thumb across his lips where she'd just kissed him.

Reid took her hand, tucking it into his and holding it against his heart. Scarlett leaned her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.


	43. Chapter 43

The next chapter has a few lines in Italian to set the scene. I have included the translations here for the readers benefit, since the lines flowed better without the translations next to them. Please forgive me if any of the words are incorrect, I used Google Translate, so it's only as good as that program. I don't really speak Italian, unfortunately... My many thanks to my friend Martina ( Marty87) on Twitter, who does, for the verification! :-)

Translations:

_M__ia casa e la tua casa_... My home is your home

_E 'molto bello... _It 's very nice

_Grazie per aver condiviso la tua casa__... _Thank you for sharing your home

_Siete i benvenuti... _You are welcome

_Vuoi risparmiare una danza per me__?... _Will you save a dance for me?

_Ma naturalmente... _but of course

_Tu sei un uomo molto caro... _You are a very dear man

_E il tuo "figlio" possiede il mio cuore, 'papa__'__... _And your "son" owns my heart, 'Dad'

_Bene, molto bene... _Good, very good

Chapter 43

"Come on, Scarlett," Reid looked at his watch once more as he waited by the door. "We're already late..." he complained, sighing and rolling his eyes when he heard the bathroom door open and close again. He crossed over to stand in the bedroom doorway.

"I'm almost ready, Spence, don't get your panties in a wad..." she hollered through the closed door. "Geesh," she muttered under her breath as she applied her mascara.

"It's not like it is an appointment for fuck's sake, Reid, we don't have to..." she complained loudly as she opened the door and smacked right into him.

"Oh!" she bumped against him in a rush and stumbled back on her heels. "Crap!"

Spencer grabbed her by the elbows to steady her. And laughed as she scowled.

"Sorry..." he grinned, not looking the least bit apologetic.

"Nag..." she called him, nudging him back as she moved to grab her evening bag and mask from the dresser. With one last look into the mirror, she adjusted her skirt and turned back towards him. "There... I'm ready. Happy now?" she teased.

Spencer watched her, taking in the costume. She'd decided to put her own spin on the devil idea, by wearing a sexy red dress with heels that had crossing straps over her feet and ankles that made his mouth water. She held the eye mask up to her face and grinned.

"Well?" she asked, giving a quick spin before him. "Was it worth it?" She flipped the red ribbons she'd woven into her hair over her shoulders.

"You look gorgeous," he told her honestly as he pulled her closer.

Scarlett took his mouth with hers, enjoying his kiss.

"Mmm, you clean up nicely yourself, farm boy," she teased, brushing her fingers across the lapels of his rented white on white tux. "I think it's fun to get dressed up... late or not," she told him, tugging slightly on his tie.

"We can be a little later..." he grinned wickedly, nibbling on her earlobe.

"Oh, ho... no you don't... not after all your fretting..." she laughed, moving away from him. "Let's get to the party, Dr. Reid..."

Spencer picked up her cloak and his mask, along with his keys, as they headed out the door. When they got to his car, she stopped, waiting at the passenger's side for him to get the door. He watched her legs as she tucked them inside. Leaning down, he looked her over once again.

"You're sure we can't be a bit later?" he asked.

Scarlett quirked her lips in a sideways smile. And placed her hand in his face, pushing him back out the door. Reid laughed.

When they reached Rossi's home, the party was in full swing. Scarlett could hear a DJ playing in the backyard as she got out of the car. People were milling around through the house, out the back doors and patio area.

There were food and bar stations set up all around, along with tables and festive lighting to enhance the mood. Scarlett looked around, eyes lighting up at the decorations and flowers everywhere. The theme was a fun spin on classic Halloween, with jack o' lanterns on each table and candles flickering gaily alongside black cat or ghost cut outs.

"Rossi sure knows how to throw a party," Scarlett commented with a low whistle.

"Definitely," Spencer agreed. He turned when he felt a hand on his shoulder, as Dave passed him a glass of champagne and then, reaching over, handed another to Scarlett.

"Glad you could make it," he grinned at the couple. "The Angel and Devil, eh? It works," he joked. Rossi leaned forward and gave Scarlett a quick kiss to the cheek.

"How are you feeling, my dear?" he winked at her.

"Wonderful, David, thank you," Scarlett took a sip of the drink and smiled. "Better by the minute," she grinned, tipping the glass to her friend.

"Plenty more where that came from," he nodded. "Help yourself to anything... _mia casa e la tua casa_..."

"_E 'molto bello_," Scarlett responded seamlessly. "_Grazie per aver condiviso la tua casa_..."

Rossi smiled over at Spencer. "_Siete i benvenuti_... Ah, you had better hide her away, Reid. I just may steal her from you..." he teased, clinking his glass to Scarlett's. "_Vuoi risparmiare una danza per me_?"

"_Ma naturalmente_," she answered with a grin.

Dave bowed slightly, kissed her hand and moved off to greet some more of his guests.

Spencer cocked his head slightly at Scarlett. "I didn't know you spoke Italian," he said, moving closer to her side.

"Italian, French, Spanish and Gaelic," she answered. "Others, bits and pieces..." she looked up at him, gave a little shrug. "It comes easily when you don't forget anything spoken to you," she said honestly.

"Yeah, that makes sense... I can read languages but can't speak a word that anyone could understand..." he joked. "What did he ask you?"

Scarlett laughed. "To save him a dance, farm boy..." she set her glass aside and took his to do the same. "So I suggest you take me to the floor before I disappear on you," she teased.

"I'm not letting you out of my sight, crazy girl," he shot back, taking her hand and leading her to the floor. "Not a chance..."

She stepped into his arms, following his lead in a slow waltz with the other couples already on the floor. They kept the rhythm even as the songs changed, altering the steps to the faster tempo.

Spencer spun her around, dipping her slightly and smiled when she tossed her head back and laughed.

"You've been holding out on me, farm boy," she said breathlessly. When the song ended, he led her to the sidelines.

"How about we grab a drink and something to eat, before I show you any more moves," he winked.

"Mmm, intriguing," she smiled as she followed him to the buffet. She eyed up the food along the table.

"Holy crap, I'm not going to be able to dance after all this..." she laughed, picking up a plate and choosing a few of her favorites.

Spencer bit into a crab rangoon. "I think you can manage," he told her, offering her a bite. He wiped a piece from her lip and leaned forward to kiss her quickly.

"Delicious," she smirked as she licked his lip. Reid blushed furiously and she laughed.

"Behave yourself, crazy girl," he told her, shaking his head in amusement.

"And that, I assume, is why you got to play the angel to her devil," Morgan chuckled as he and Garcia came to stand alongside them.

"Oh, my... is that a sundae?" Scarlett asked Penelope. "Tell me there is a sundae station in here and devil or not, I'll swear I'm in heaven," she said blissfully.

"You won't be disappointed, sweetie... plus candy..." Garcia held up a bag of mixed candies.

"Of course," Dave threw in as he stepped over to the four of them. "How could it be a Halloween party if there wasn't candy?" he asked, raising a brow in mock horror. "We have trick or treaters coming to the front door already..." he explained.

"Really?" Scarlett looked over at Penelope. "Let's hit the candy..." she grabbed her girlfriend's hand and tugged her along behind her through the doors.

Reid laughed and shook his head at Morgan. "And she thinks I'm addicted to sugar..."

"I think you are addicted to something sweet," Rossi teased as he watched Spencer's eyes follow Scarlett into the house. "Not that I blame you there..." he added with a grin.

Spencer blushed again and turned his attention back to his friends. "Yeah, just a little..." he said a bit shyly.

He followed Morgan and Rossi to the bar, ordered himself a brandy along with Dave while Derek nabbed a bottle of beer.

"I happened to notice that your lady friend is now sporting quite the ruby, Reid," Dave said nonchalantly, looking over his glass towards the younger man.

"Are there congratulations in order?" he asked as he sipped.

Reid's eyes widened. "Uh, no... not yet, I mean..." he stammered, taken off guard by the question. "It's not an engagement ring," he huffed out and took a swallow of the drink. The smooth burn helped him cover up his discomfort.

"Ah, I see," Rossi teased. "So she's still on the market?" he turned, looking back into the doors.

"No!" Reid bit out then bit his lips together when Dave laughed.

"Relax, Reid," he teased. "Although I am flattered you'd act like I had a chance," he patted his shoulder. "Twenty years ago, you'd be in trouble..." he sighed, swirling his drink around the glass. "Maybe even fifteen..." he grinned at Morgan's smile. "But now, I'll settle for a dance," he told them, handing Spencer his glass.

Scarlett came through the doorway and was met by Rossi. He tipped his hand to her, and she took it, handing off her sweets to Penelope. Bowing slightly, he led her to the dance floor, grinning down at her.

"I'm making Reid very twitchy right now," Dave told her, as he pulled her close for a slow song.

"Oh?" Scarlett laughed lightly. "Not Spencer," she grinned.

He laughed, resting his hand along the curve of her back. "Yes, Spencer. Every man has a jealous streak, when it comes to the objects of their affections," he told her, leaning close enough to her ear so she could hear. "And I'm having a little fun at his expense, I have to admit..." Dave tipped her back, and she saw the playful look in his eyes. She turned in a spin, back into his arms, and rounded the floor once again.

Scarlett angled a look up at him and smiled wickedly. "Maybe he should be twitchy..." she rested her hand along his shoulder. "You dance very well and are quite charming, after all," she told him.

Dave tucked her against his chest as the song ended and gave her a quick hug. "Each of my wives thought that same thing at one time or another," he told her with a laugh, dropping a quick kiss to her hair as he led her back towards Reid.

"I'll deny it, if asked, because it makes me sound _old_," he grinned as he leaned down, whispering softly into her ear. "But I think of that man like my own son... and I couldn't be happier with his choice," he kissed her knuckles, just over the ring, as he handed her over to where Spencer was standing just off the floor.

Practically pacing.

Scarlett laughed and squeezed Rossi's hand before he could walk off.

"_Tu sei un uomo molto caro,_ David Rossi," she told him, keeping his eyes locked with hers. "_E il tuo "figlio" possiede il mio cuore_, '_papa__'_," she leaned forward, reaching up to kiss his cheek.

Dave smiled. "_Bene, molto bene_..." he told her, patting Reid's shoulder.

"Lucky boy," he winked as he left the two alone.

Spencer led Scarlett over to the table where Morgan and Garcia were saving them a place. He took her hand, linking his fingers through hers, catching her grinning up at him.

"What are you thinking, crazy girl?" he asked, noting the gleam in her eye.

She shrugged, swinging their hands between them. "My ice cream is probably melted," she teased.

"Probably..." he angled another look down at her. "That shouldn't put that look on your face..." he added.

"Mmm, it would if you knew what I was thinking of doing with it..." she bumped her hip against his and watched him blush as his thoughts caught up to hers.

He cleared his throat. "You are incorrigible," he shook his head, stopping a bit away from the table, pulling her close.

"What did you say to Rossi?" he asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Scarlett laughed. "You had to restrain yourself from asking that first, didn't you," she teased him. Reaching up, she hand her hand along the lapels of his jacket.

"I told him that he was a wonderful man, and that you owned my heart..." she grinned at the smile then confusion that clouded his features.

"Why did you have to...?" he scowled slightly. "Did he _hit_ on you?" he squeaked out.

She patted his cheek lightly and walked away from him, an evil smile on her lips. Spencer stared after her, frowning.

"Seriously?!" he muttered before her followed her to the table.


	44. Chapter 44

Chapter 44

Scarlett bumped her brother away from her sundae. "Go get your own, Zorro..." she teased him, pulling the dish towards her.

"Don't make too much of a deal about the costume," Derek warned with a wink. "Ms. Thang is still pissed at me because I wouldn't do the mouse to her cat..."

Penelope rolled her heavily mascaraed eyes. "You said you would..." she pouted, popping a caramel into her mouth, carefully avoiding her make-up. "You lied and now I'm a lonely Cheshire with nothing to play with..." she giggled evilly.

"Chessie fits you well," Scarlett grinned, tweaking a furry purple ear on her friend's head. "Suits your purr-sonality," she joked.

Spencer watched Scarlett spoon some of what was left of her sundae up to her mouth. Most of the melted mess fell back on to the table. He rolled his eyes as he grabbed a napkin.

"I'm going to get you a new ice cream..." he told her as he mopped up the drips from her chin. Scarlett ran her tongue along his hand, giggling at the flustered look on his face.

"Too much?" she teased.

"Knock it off..." he brushed a finger to her nose, tapping it gently. "I'm beginning to believe your purpose in life is to drive me insane..." he whispered as he leaned in closer, stealing a kiss from her.

"Probably," she winked as he left to get her another sundae. Scarlett sighed as she watched him walk away.

Reid made his way into the throng of people standing around the main foyer of Rossi's home. He felt a tug on his pant leg as he heard a small voice yell "Rawr!"

Pretending to be shocked, he looked down at Henry's face half obscured by a dragon's mask. Henry giggled at the face he made, pushing the head back.

"It's juss me Unca Spenca!" the young boy giggled, pulling himself up into Reid's arms.

"You scared me!" Spencer laughed, looking over to where the boy had run from, spotting JJ and Will. He had to laugh at JJ's face when he saw her in her costume. The medieval theme had wound it's way through the family, apparently she wasn't thrilled with the choice. She wore a glittery princess dress that had a Glenda the good witch look about it. Will looked much more comfortable in his Knight attire.

"No comments, or I'll bop you with my wand, I swear..." she teased, watching him scan them quickly.

Spencer laughed. "Every dragon needs a princess..." he tried to swallow the chuckle as he passed the little boy back to her.

"I look like a cake topper..." JJ frowned, whacking Will when she heard him laugh.

"I was thinking more like cotton candy..." her husband joked in his soft New Orleans drawl.

JJ handed Henry over to Will. "Go... take him to the trick or treats," she pretended to scowl. "Before I turn you into a frog..."

Will laughed, turning away, but not before grabbing a quick kiss from his pink frothed wife. JJ rolled her eyes, looking back to Spencer. She linked her arm into his, following him towards the ice cream station.

"So how did you manage to get out of wearing a costume?" JJ asked, looking over his white tux. "I thought Scarlett would've been all over this..."

Reid laughed. "This is my costume... I left the mask at the table," he shrugged, handing a crystal sundae dish to her.

"Seriously? You get away with just a mask, while I get stuck with this?" she cocked an eyebrow at him. "Tell me someone else dressed up at least? Where's Scarlett and Penelope?"

"Back at the table... Scarlett dressed up... sort of," he teased. "Penny is Cheshire cat, Morgan chose Zorro... Dave is what I'm assuming is his own version of Count Dracula..."

"I saw Alex and James when we first got here..." JJ nodded towards the front room. "He was able to make it in last minute, so she came, but they aren't dressed up... I feel like I'm the only one who did..." she looked around the room.

"You did it for Henry... that's what makes it special," Reid nodded over towards where the little boy was now roaring and chasing other little ones around.

JJ smiled softly at her boy. "True... but I still feel awkward..." she looked up at Spencer. "What do you mean Scarlett dressed up 'sort of'?" she asked, eying him skeptically. She noticed that Reid's gaze had gone to the french doors leading in from the patio.

"Oh..." she pouted. "Now I really feel dorky..." JJ pretended to grouse, punching Reid playfully on the arm.

"Ow!" Spencer rubbed his arm, grinning down at JJ. Heads had turned following Scarlett as she made her way through the kitchen to the front of the house. JJ shook her head.

"I wish I would've thought of something simpler..." she fluffed the length of tulle at her waist. When Scarlett reached Reid's side, she smiled at the look that passed between her two friends.

"I thought you ran out on me..." Scarlett linked her arm around Reid's waist, looking up at him through her mask, grinning. She smiled over at JJ.

"Nope, just got sidetracked in Oz..." Spencer laughed easily as JJ bopped him again.

"It was all they had left at the rental place," JJ told Scarlett. "So I got stuck with it..."

Scarlett shook her head. "You make a beautiful good witch," she told her friend. "Better that than the green face things you usually see floating around..."

"True..." JJ smiled. "We were trying for a medieval theme..." she nodded over towards Will and Henry. "At least I'm not a wench..."

Scarlett laughed. "I'm sure that had Will's vote..."

JJ rolled her eyes. "Of course..."

They were interrupted as Henry ran up between them, grabbing Scarlett's hand. "Rawr!" he shouted at her, laughing as she picked him up, swinging him around.

"Oh no! I've been captured by the dragon!" she played, pulling the little boy up onto her hips. Henry's face was covered in chocolate as he gave her a toothy grin.

"They have a whole fountain of chocolate!" he told her excitedly as he bounced on her waist. "You havva sees it Aunt 'Carlet!" the little boy grabbed her cheeks, kissing her. Scarlett laughed.

"I certainly do!" she told him, setting him back to the floor, taking his hand. "Be right back..." Scarlett told the others as she moved to follow the boy.

Spencer reached over, stopping her a moment, swiping his thumb across her jaw where Henry had placed a chocolate smear with his kiss. He showed her the smudge. Scarlett grinned as Spencer kissed her quickly, removing it. She felt his tongue dart against her skin.

"Down boy," she said quietly, catching the glint in his eye, as she scooted off to follow Henry. He heard the boy squeal as Scarlett scooped him up, spinning him around again.

JJ nudged against his shoulder. "She's wonderful with kids," she told him, bringing his attention back to her. Scarlett was now surrounded by a bunch of trick or treaters that she was chasing around.

Reid looked over at JJ. "She's got a big family at home... she loves playing with them," he grinned. "Sometimes I think it's because she's not much more than a big kid herself..."

JJ laughed at that. "Back at you, Reid," she told him with a smile.

"Well, yeah..." he rubbed at his neck, his face blushing.

She leaned against his arm, tucking her hand into the crook of his elbow. "How are you doing, Spence?" she asked quietly, pulling him towards a more quiet corner. She hadn't had much chance to talk to him since the hospital incident, and she was worried about her friend.

Reid shrugged slightly, a small furrow forming in between his brows. "I'm okay, now... it was hard, but Scarlett helped me through the worst of it... you did too," he told her, looking down at her.

"Good," she tapped his arm, giving it a squeeze. "I'm really glad, Spence... you know I love you both," she leaned her head against him, giving Reid a hug.

Spencer felt a little embarrassed, but hugged JJ back, kissing her hair quickly before pulling away. The action wasn't lost on JJ, inwardly she marveled at the changes in Spencer since Scarlett had come into his life.

She picked up her head at the sound of squeals coming from the other room.

"I think I better round up both of my 'kids' before too much of that chocolate fountain disappears," she laughed, seeing Will carrying a plate piled high with goodies.

Spencer caught Scarlett sitting on the floor between Henry and Jack. They were laughing as they danced around her.

"I think I better rescue Scarlett too, before the dragon and Frankenstein's monster steal her from me for the rest of the night..." he grinned.

Scarlett saw Reid moving through the room towards her, stopping along the way through the ghosts and ghouls to do some slight of hand, pulling candy from behind their ears. She laughed as one little girl attached herself to his leg and he started walking like a zombie, dragging her along. Henry noticed also, running over and grabbing his other leg, going along for the ride.

"He's going to make a great dad one day," Scarlett heard Hotch's voice as she saw his hand reach down to help her stand.

"He is..." she smiled, accepting the help. She brushed her skirt back into place as she caught sight of the lab coat Aaron was wearing. "He's got great role models on how to do it," she smiled, noting how Hotch had played off his son's costume, as Dr. Frankenstein.

Hotch quirked an eyebrow, giving her half a grin. "I got off easy... Jack originally was talking about cowboys..."

Scarlett smiled. "Oh, I think you could have pulled off the white hat quite nicely," she teased.

"Really? I was thinking more Black Bart type," he smiled wickedly, pretending to twist at a mustache on his lip.

Scarlett laughed out loud. The sound caught Reid's attention. He grinned, watching her getting Hotch to smile. It was a rare thing to see, since their supervisor seldom found the occasion to do so...

Spencer looked around the house, taking in everyone as they moved about. He felt the love surround him, knowing that truly this was his family, in the most important sense of the word.

Scarlett caught his eyes. She saw the love reflected there and nodded. She felt the same.


	45. Chapter 45

Chapter 45

Reid pushed the apartment door open with his hip as he half carried Scarlett inside. She'd taken off her shoes sometime during the night of dancing so now they dangled carelessly from her fingers as she leaned against him, giggling.

He'd never seen her quite so drunk before. Shaking his head, he took her shoes, setting them on the floor as she started to slide along the wall. Grabbing her shoulders, he righted her, looking down into her face. She giggled once more and covered her mouth.

"You are so completely wasted, Katy Scarlett," he teased, looking down into her blurry eyes.

"Nope..." she laughed, making a popping noise on the 'p' for emphasis. "I'm just enough wasted," she corrected him, turning to walk down the short hall. Sideways.

Spencer grabbed her shoulders once again as she weaved her way towards the kitchen.

"Where are you going, crazy girl?" he teased as she bumped into the countertop.

Scarlett stopped short, narrowed her eyes as if thinking was difficult. "Water," she said with a nod. "I need a bottle of water..."

"Better take some aspirin, too," he warned her. "You are going to have one hell of a hangover in the morning..."

"Not likely," she shrugged, but reached up to grab a bottle of Tylenol from the cupboard. "I've never had a hangover... Black outs, but never even a headache," she told him. She wrestled with the cap on the bottle for a moment before glaring at it.

"Let me help," he laughed as he took the pills and snapped it open.

"Show off," she teased, accepting the pills he put in her hand. She swallowed them down, chasing them with half a bottle of the water.

As she leaned back against the counter, she started to slide again. Reid scooped her up into his arms.

"Okay, troublemaker, it's time to get you to bed," he scolded her. "You need to sleep this off..."

Scarlett pressed her face into his neck. "Mmmm... Maybe I don't want to sleep..." she argued.

Spencer lowered her carefully onto the bed, took the water from her and set it on the nightstand. "I think in a few minutes, you'll forget you ever even said that..."

She yawned and stretched. "Nope, I never forget anything..." she told him, tugging at the dress, trying to struggle out of it. "I can tell you every word you've ever spoken to me from the minute we met..." she stopped moving, half stuck in the clothes.

He watched her for a second, laughing. "And yet, at this moment, you can't undress yourself..." he said mockingly. Walking over to her side, he helped her out of the costume, pulling one of his t shirts over her head. He leaned down to meet her eyes, watching her.

"What is that like for you, Katy?" he asked softly, brushing some of the hair out of her face. He knew his own mind shuddered against some of the memories locked inside. What must it be like for her... to have it replay in full motion, without bidding?

Scarlett looked up at him through sleepy eyes. "'S good," she mumbled. "When I think of you," she said, catching his hand, drawing him closer.

He kissed her forehead, pushing her back on to the pillows. "I have to get changed," he told her. "Don't move," he said in warning, afraid she'd fall out of bed.

"'Kay," she responded, closing her eyes. The room spun slightly as tiny lights popped behind her eyelids. He heard her giggling again.

Reid shook his head, changing quickly. "Totally trashed," he muttered.

When he climbed into the bed, Scarlett turned to him.

"I love you, Spence," she snuggled up against his chest.

He pressed a kiss to her head. "I love you too, crazy girl... now get some sleep..." he reached over to shut off the lamp.

"Spence?"

He turned slightly to look at her face in the moonlight. "What?" he asked softly, brushing the hair off her face.

"I really do want to marry you..." she stated, looking up at him through wide green eyes.

Spencer felt his heart bump in his chest. "Scarlett... talk to me about it when you are sober, okay, beautiful?" he told her. Leaning over, he kissed the bridge of her nose. "For now, just go to sleep before I have you promising a million things you won't remember in the morning..."

"I'll remember," she shifted beside him, leaning up onto her elbow so she could look down in his face. "I'm not so drunk that I'll forget, Reid," she told him, drawing a line from his cheek to his throat with her fingers.

He watched her eyes, sighing deeply as she shifted over him, catching his lips with hers.

"Scarlett..."

"I'm not tired, farm boy. I want to talk..." she pouted.

"Now? At two in the morning, when you couldn't walk a straight line to the bedroom? Now, you want to talk about getting married?" he felt a tiny hitch in his breath. "Come on, Scarlett. I don't want to think you have to be inebriated to discuss it..."

She lay back down and sighed. "It's easier to think about when I'm uninhibited," she told him quietly.

"Well, yeah, but I don't want to have to get you drunk to walk down the aisle to me..." he muttered.

"That's not what I meant, and you know that," she poked him. "When we get married, I'll be walking in a perfectly straight line," she teased. "I just meant it's easier for me to think about it, or to talk about it, because I can put aside the worries that I usually let flood my brain."

"I'll help you work on easing those worries, Scarlett. Then we'll talk about it. How's that?"

"I want to give you a normal life, Spencer Reid..." she told him thoughtfully. "Everything you want... I want it too. But I don't know how. I'm not normal..."

He heard a slight hitch in her voice and turned to look in her face. Her eyes glistened in unshed tears, even as one drifted down her cheek.

"Hey, now..." he pulled her close and brushed the side of her face. "Come on Scarlett, none of that," he whispered softly, kissing her.

"Sorry," she sniffled.

"Katy. Stop. You are perfect for me," he told her, nuzzling her neck gently. "I'm not normal. Normal would scare me," he smiled, lifting her chin with his fingers. "Understand?"

She nodded slightly, scrubbing at her face with her hands. "You are too good for me, Spencer."

"Fuck that, Scarlett," he scowled. "No pedestals for either of us, remember?"

Looking up into his face, she saw a hint of anger in his eyes.

"I remember," she told him. She touched his cheek. "I love you, Spencer," she traced his jawline. "Forever and always."

"As I love you," he told her, reaching down to kiss her. When she pulled him closer, he deepened the kiss. He sighed, pulling her under him as she arched up to meet his hips.

"Spence, make love to me..." she asked. "I promise I'm not so drunk that you'd be taking advantage of me," she brushed her lips across his ear.

"Scarlett," he breathed out her name on a huff as he moved between her legs. "You drive me crazy..."

She bowed back, feeling his body slide into hers. "Is that a good thing?" she asked, wrapping her legs up around his hips. He groaned.

"The best," he held himself up over her, drawing out her pleasure as he felt her tighten around him. "You are the best part of me Katy," he breathed deeply, taking in her scent.

"Show me..."


	46. Chapter 46

Chapter 46

Scarlett felt the sweat run down her back as she pushed herself harder that last block. She could see Reid's back just ahead of her but each time she'd catch up with him, he'd easily out distance her again. She mentally laughed at her own competitiveness when she realized that his beating her back to the apartment everyday was actually getting on her nerves.

Watching him turn the corner towards home, she dug into her reserves, hoping to at least cut a little clip off her own best time.

Spencer looked back quickly over his shoulder as he made the corner, catching the look of determination on Scarlett's face and turned quickly before she caught his grin. In the few weeks that they'd been living together, they had started the morning routine of jogging whenever their work- or injuries- allowed. And she'd yet to beat him back to the apartment, even once. It was a small ego trip to him, but he was careful not to gloat. Too much. His grin widened as he took the steps two at a time, before skidding to a stop at front door as a blond woman stepped forward from the door buzzer. Quickly his face changed from the grin to shock.

"Lila?" he stammered, his eyes narrowing. "What the hell are you doing here?" he asked quickly.

"I stopped by on my way through to visit an old friend..." Lila scowled slightly, before turning it into a pretty pout. "You weren't answering your bell," she chastised as she moved closer to him.

Reid stepped back quickly as she reached a hand to his chest. "I was- out for a run," he stammered, looking quickly to the corner.

"Obviously," Lila muttered, wrinkling her nose slightly at the sweat collected across his shirt. She took another step forward and Reid backed up against the doorjamb.

"Um, right... Lila, why are you here?" Spencer asked again. "It's not a good time..." he shot another look to the corner as Scarlett moved into view.

Lila reached up to kiss him and Reid moved his head, quickly pulling away. She frowned as she caught his lower jaw with her lips and moved back.

"I was hoping to surprise you," she whined slightly. "You act like you aren't happy to see me..."

Spencer rubbed at his neck nervously as he saw Scarlett come running up the steps.

"Oh, I'm surprised, alright," he squeaked out.

Scarlett had noticed the woman before her during the last lengths of her run. Coming up on the two now, she could feel the tension snapping off Spencer in waves. She eyed up the blond, who looked confused, and quickly deduced the situation. She bit the inside of her cheek to hide her smile, deciding to have a little fun at Reid's expense.

Scarlett gave a quick wave to the woman. "Hi," she said, moving to stand beside Spencer.

"Hello," the blond stated flatly, looking from Scarlett to Spencer, as if waiting for an introduction.

Reid cleared his throat nervously. Scarlett could see his adam's apple move in the process and grinned at his discomfort. She turned slightly to face the other woman and held out her hand.

"I'm Scarlett..." she smiled as the blonde frowned deeper.

"Lila Archer..." the woman took Scarlett's proffered hand but looked over her head towards Spencer.

Scarlett hid her surprise at the name and caught Lila's eye.

"As in Lila Archer, the actress?" she asked hoping she was pulling off a nonchalant expression.

"Yes," Lila offered a slight smirk that wasn't lost on Scarlett.

Instead of taking the bait, Scarlett smiled brightly. "Wow. Cool... Lila Archer's on my front stoop..." she grinned and turned her attention back to Reid.

"I've got to grab a shower before work, babe," she told him, as she moved forward to grab a territorial kiss.

"You've got a little smudge," she teased as she wiped Lila's lipstick stain off his cheek.

Spencer quickly rubbed the spot that she'd pointed out and returned the kiss.

"Right, sorry..." he said nervously.

Scarlett chuckled softly. "Don't be sorry farm boy," she said quietly, nudging him. "I'll see you upstairs," she said with a wink.

Turning back towards Lila, Scarlett opened the door to head inside. "Nice to have met you," she said lightly before entering the vestibule.

"Um, yeah, you too..." Lila straightened and looked over to Reid as the door closed. She watched as the little red head bounded up the stairway before turning her attention back to Reid.

"You have a girlfriend?" she stated flatly.

"Yes... right, my girlfriend... Jesus," Spencer mumbled as he rubbed at his neck again. "Scarlett, um... we live together..." he looked at Lila.

"You could have told me," Lila pouted.

Reid looked shocked. "Why? I haven't heard from you in almost three years... Why would I have called you to tell you I moved in with someone?"

"Well, you could have returned my call last week and this awkward situation could have been avoided..." she snapped.

"I never thought you'd just show up on my doorstep, Lila," he stated in his defense.

"So you'd rather just avoid my calls..."

"I... um... No?" he stammered. Spencer felt his cheeks heat under her glare. "Shit..." he swore lightly. "Look, Lila, yes, I guess it surprised me when you called, out of the blue, after so long. So I didn't answer..."

"Twice..." Lila clarified, tapping her foot and crossing her arms. She watched as the red that was tinging his cheeks spread to his ears.

"Yes... I'm sorry. I avoided your calls. I didn't imagine you'd show up like this..." Spencer stood a bit straighter, looking down at the woman. "I apologize," he stated. "I should have answered you."

Lila looked slightly appeased. "Well, I guess I shouldn't have just showed up on your doorstep either, when you hadn't returned my messages. It was a bit presumptive of me..."

"A bit?" Spencer arched an eyebrow at her.

She thinned her lips into a line before grinning slightly.

"Okay, a lot presumptive," she agreed. "I apologize also," she told him. Looking towards the second floor window that she knew belonged to his apartment, she cast him a sidelong glance.

"I hope I didn't cause you any trouble," she said sincerely.

"With Scarlett?" he shook his head. "I doubt it..." he shrugged. "She's not that type..."

Lila laughed lightly and Spencer noted the sound didn't effect him the way Scarlett's laughter did. He smiled back at her.

"Honey, all women are that type..." Lila told him. "Don't ever forget that bit of information," she offered.

Upstairs, standing beside the open window that Lila had just pointed towards; Scarlett wrinkled her nose as she squinted, trying to see Spencer and Lila more clearly through the curtains.

"Dang it..." she punched Penelope's number into her phone and impatiently waited for her friend to answer.

"Good morning Mary Sunshine," Garcia's cheerful voice came over the line.

"Whether or not it's a good morning is yet to be determined," Scarlett said snarkily. "It completely depends on what you can quickly tell me about why Lila Archer, the actress, is at my apartment building, talking to my guy, on my front stairs, at seven in the morning..."

"Whaaaat?!" Penelope's voice took on a squeaky tone. There was a brief pause before an evil sounding chuckle reached Scarlett's ears. "Reid... you bad, bad boy... I didn't think he had it in him..."

"Pens, do not play with me right now..." she warned her friend. "How is it that this woman is here?" she asked before peering out the window once again.

"Oh, really, Scarlett, you aren't seriously worried..." Penelope started to chastise.

"No, I'm not," she clarified, a little too quickly. Scarlett bit her bottom lip. "Just, the dirt, please Penny, so I know if I should be..."

"Katy, there is no 'dirt' that I know of really... They had a thing, quite a few years back- I didn't think they even still talked to each other..."

"Spence had a 'thing' with a movie star... and I am just hearing about this _now_?" Scarlett squeaked out before pressing her lips together tightly. She moved her angle in the window just a bit and saw Lila move into Reid's arms for a hug.

"Scarlett, for crying out loud, it's not like you didn't know he'd dated anyone else before..."

"I didn't know he'd dated _Lila_ _Archer_, for crap's sake..." Scarlett muttered. Lila leaned up and kissed Spencer and Scarlett growled slightly.

"Ohhh boy," Garcia chuckled.

"Shut up, Pens..." Scarlett jumped back from the window as she watched Lila leave the steps. "I've gotta go..." she told her friend quickly.

"Geesh, okay... Lighten up Katy-bird," Penelope giggled as she hung up the phone.

"Lighten up...?" Scarlett muttered to herself. She rolled her eyes and ran into the bedroom, stripping out of her jogging clothes quickly to jump into the shower as she'd told Spencer she'd intended to do.

Spencer heard the water running as he entered the apartment and moved into the bedroom, looking for Scarlett.

He laughed loudly at the sight of her balancing on one foot, as she stood at the edge of the bed trying to untangle her jogging pants from her sneaker.

"I've found it usually helps if you take the shoes off first, crazy girl..."

Scarlett pouted slightly at his laughter. "Just help me..." she groused, as she fell onto the bed and lifted a foot into the air.

Reid's grin widened and he crossed the floor and grabbed her foot. "Sure," he chuckled as he pulled her sneaker free from the fabric.

"I guess this blew my cover," she stated a bit sullenly.

"I guess..." Spencer said in a mocking tone. "But your cover was blown when Lila pointed you out in the window..." he teased and laughed again when she tossed her sock at his head.

Scarlett stuck her tongue out at him. "I wouldn't have been lurking in windows if someone had told me they'd dated Lila-freaking-Archer, at any point in time..." she sniped.

"Scarlett... are you _jealous_?" Reid quipped, carefully keeping his voice in a teasing tone.

A quick frown furrowed her brows together. "No... I'm not. Why would I be? You sent her away..." Scarlett concentrated on untwisting the leg of her jogging pants instead of meeting Spencer's eyes.

He sighed. "Scarlett..."

"Don't 'Scarlett' me, _Reid_..." she huffed, throwing the pants on the floor and stomping into the bathroom.

Spencer rolled his eyes behind her back and followed her.

"Don't 'Reid' me, Scarlett..." he tossed back at her. "Come here..."

Scarlett reached over and shut the water off before turning back into his embrace. She felt his arms move around her tightly. Snuggling in against his chest, she sighed deeply and pressed her forehead against his sternum. He set his chin against her head and kissed her hair quickly.

"I don't like feeling like this," she complained.

"Mmm-hmm," Spencer buried his nose into her hair and breathed in her scent. "How's that?" he asked and heard her chuckle softly.

"You want me to say it, don't you..." she stated a bit darkly.

"Maaaybe..." he teased.

Scarlett rolled her eyes and pulled back a bit to look up at him. A grin was playing across his features, and she laughed as he quickly hid it. The teasing light was still in his eyes.

"Uh huh. Fiiine..." she drawled out. "I'm a teeny bit jealous that a freaking movie star stopped by your apartment hoping for a booty call..." she told him and bit her bottom lip.

"I'm entitled..." she pouted.

"A... _what_?" Spencer squeaked out.

"A booty call... a quickie, a roll in the hay..." Scarlett laughed as his face turned bright red. "Geez, Spence, are you going to try and deny it?"

"Holy hell, Scarlett- Jesus... Is that really why you thought she stopped by this morning?"

Scarlett narrowed her eyes. "C'mon Spencer, I'm not dense..."

Reid scowled and shook his head. "No, but you know me better than that... I wouldn't have had a 'booty call' after not seeing her for three years, for fuck's sake..." he swore and turned away, walking back into the bedroom.

Scarlett stood there a moment longer before following him.

"Hey..." she called out. "I didn't mean you _would_ have..." she moved up behind him and poked him in the back. "But I'm pretty sure a hook up was probably on her mind..." she muttered.

Spencer turned around and looked down into her narrowed green eyes. He shot her a disapproving glare. Scarlett took a step back and bit at her thumb.

"That's not really fair, Scarlett..." he chastised. "You don't know Lila... she's not like that."

Scarlett straightened up and lifted her chin. "Then I'll apologize for insulting your girlfriend," she told him flatly as she turned to leave the room.

Reid raised his hands and scrubbed at his face in frustration. He groaned at himself and followed her out of the room.


	47. Chapter 47

Chapter 47

Spencer walked out of the bedroom and looked over into the kitchen where Scarlett was banging cupboard doors, pulling out coffee mugs. He took a deep breath, keeping back, watching the sight of her standing there in a sweaty t-shirt and her bare feet and underwear. He shook his head slightly to refocus his thoughts from the sudden turn into the erotic.

"Scarlett..." he tried again, moving into the kitchen. He stopped short as she slammed another door and sent him a withering glance over her shoulder. He rolled his eyes at her and leaned back against the counter top, crossing his arms over his chest.

Scarlett turned her attention back to fixing the coffee in front of her. She sensed when he moved up behind her and tensed when he set his hands at her shoulders.

"Why are you so pissed at me?" she heard his quiet voice at her ear.

"I'm not..." she snapped and quickly pressed her lips together. She drew a deep breath in through her nose and closed her eyes.

Spencer watched her lips move quickly as she listened to a song play in her head. He tugged her back against him as he wrapped an arm across her shoulders and the other around her hips.

"Talk to me crazy girl..." he told her. "C'mon, now... tell me what you're thinking..."

"You slept with her... right?" Scarlett asked, standing stiffly. His arms tightened around her, holding her closer.

"Yes, a couple times... years ago..." he told her, resting his chin on the crown of her head.

"Did you love her?" she asked quietly, staring at her hands on the counter top. She felt him lean closer as he pressed a kiss against her temple. She closed her eyes and leaned into him.

"I thought I did, a long time ago," he answered honestly. He hugged her tighter, rocking her slightly in his arms. Reid felt the tension release from her as she leaned back against him with a sigh.

Scarlett shrugged her shoulders slightly and turned to face him. Spencer could see a question still in her eyes and waited.

"You changed your mind?" she asked him.

"I learned differently," he responded, dropping another kiss, this time on her nose.

When she scrunched up the bridge, causing a furrow, Spencer bumped his forehead to hers and raised his hands to cradle her face. He traced her jaw with his thumbs lightly, watching her eyes.

"Why wouldn't you think you could change your mind again?" she asked.

"Crazy girl, I didn't change my mind..." he sighed. "I learned differently. I grew up. I learned the difference between being in love and thinking you're in love."

"So you wouldn't want her back in your life? If you were friends, don't you miss her friendship?" Scarlett asked, confusion crossing her features.

"We parted ways a long time ago, Katy. I haven't heard from her, even in passing, for almost three years. We just had different paths... So... no, I liked her, at one time I even thought I was in love- but I wasn't... and it's okay, I'm alright with that... I don't miss her. I don't miss being with her..."

Spencer nudged her back and lifted her up onto the counter so she was sitting eye level to him.

"So what is it that's bothering you so much?" he asked, moving to stand between her legs. "The fact we dated once? Or that she showed up here?"

Scarlett shrugged again and pressed her lips together tightly, turning her head to the side. She felt his hands move to her hips as he slid her closer.

"I'm not letting you go until you talk to me, Katy Scarlett..." he told her. "So take your time to think if you have to... but _talk_ to me, sweetheart..." Reid took her face again, forcing her to meet his eyes. "Don't shut me out..."

"No... I mean, I'm kind of ticked off she showed up here... but I'm just..." she shrugged again and blew out a breath. Nervously, she tugged at the front of his shirt, keeping her eyes lowered.

Spencer waited patiently while she collected her thoughts. After a few moments he nudged her a bit once again.

"Just...?"

When Scarlett lifted her eyes, he could see her struggling to find the words. When she leaned forward and pressed her face into his neck, he felt her tremble.

"I'm just worried you'd've seen her and now maybe you wish you'd been able to be with her again..." she pulled back, pressing her hands to his chest to move him away from her.

Spencer gave her a little space but didn't let her move out of his embrace.

"Scarlett. I don't want her. I'm really not even interested in being friends with her again. We didn't have enough in common to keep a friendship going all that time ago. Nothing's changed to suddenly make her more interesting to me..."

"Reid, she's got the world at her feet... everything about her screams attention and interest..."

"Well, then something must be wrong with me then, because none of that makes me want to suffer through a conversation with her..." he stated.

"Having a relationship with her can't be boring..." she added.

"Having a relationship with _you_ is not boring..." he teased and noted a quick smile twitch her lips.

"You know what I mean, Spencer..." she huffed. "I'm not talking about my mental malfunctions..."

Reid shook his head took her by the shoulders.

"Scarlett," he sighed wearily. "I thought we cleared this up last night," he told her, capturing her hands in his, kissing her knuckles.

"I don't see 'mental malfunctions' in you. I see _you_. And _you_ are pretty damn important to me..." he scowled.

Scarlett looked into his eyes. Seeing the slight irritation there, she lowered her head to his chest and felt his arms move around her to hold her close.

"Spence?" she called his name softly, her voice muffled against his chest.

"What, crazy girl?"

"Will you marry me?" she asked, raising her head slightly to watch his eyes. She saw confusion cross his face, as she waited for a response.

"You are killing me, Scarlett..." he shook his head slightly, watching her closely.

"That's not an answer..." she said, ducking her head down. Reid lifted his fingers under her chin, pulling her eyes back to meet his.

"Yes, Katy. I will marry you," he told her, leaning closer to catch her lips with his own. "There's nothing I want more than to keep you forever," he stated plainly.

Scarlett returned his kiss, threading her fingers through his hair. "You already have me," she responded softly. "But I want to make it official."

"Good," he leaned over her, gathering her close. "Because I want that too..." he took her hands with his, pulling back a bit to study them.

"I am getting you another ring," he grinned, watching her face for a sign of fear. "I want us to pick it out together..."

She closed her fingers over his.

"Together..." she nodded.


	48. Chapter 48

Chapter 48

Spencer looked up from the paper work on his desk and removed his glasses. Looking quickly over at his watch he noticed it was a little after noon. He knew Scarlett was down in the gym, teaching a hand to hand class with the newer female recruits. Pushing the paperwork aside, he decided to head that way and see if she'd finished for lunch yet.

When he walked into the gymnasium, he saw her walking the mats, calling encouragements here and there to some of the women. He moved to the sidelines, out of the way to watch.

"Don't let your size be your weakness," she was saying as she crossed over to one of the match ups. "Use it to your advantage..." she told the smaller of the two.

"How is being the shortcake an advantage?" the larger of the pair, Susan, looked down at Scarlett. She towered over her small frame, at least by half a foot and probably more than fifty pounds. This recruit had been challenging and intimidating most of the others in the class all morning.

Spencer saw Scarlett grin and rolled his eyes.

"Want to find out first hand?" she asked innocently enough. When the brunette only smiled, she called out to the class. "Fall out, recruits. That's lunch break," she told the others, moving to the middle of the mat.

Most of the women moved off to the edges, looking back to each other, then at their trainer. Some sat on the bleachers, while others, hoping to see Susan take a fall, stayed at the side of the mat. Reid sighed and took a seat to watch the show.

Scarlett met Susan in the center of the mat. "I promise to go easy on you, Xena," she said, adding a bit of mockery to her tone. She pulled on her gloves and protective gear. Looking up at the woman, tilting her head a bit, she stood on the balls of her feet.

"We're off the clock, now. I'm not your superior at the moment," she offered, letting the other girl know there wouldn't be any ramifications against her, if she managed to get the drop on her. "Do your best to take me down..."

"Seriously?" Susan looked Scarlett up and down. "That could be interesting, seeing as how you've been riding my ass all morning... boss," she mentioned.

Scarlett nodded. "No clock. Just me and you... and for your mental files, I wasn't 'riding your ass'," she countered, stepping lightly around Susan, getting a feel for the fight. "I was pointing out that cockiness has it's merits, but some times, its just plain bitchy," she laughed as the woman's face turned into a scowl and she swung out at Scarlett. She danced back a bit, easily dodging the blow.

"Now, see, one advantage is that I can move quicker," she mentioned as she went under Susan's arm easily and ended up behind her.

"I move quick," Susan snarled.

"Pretty quick," Scarlett agreed. "But a bit gangly," she said as she dodged again, backing up and shifting to the side as she skirted another blow.

"You are also telegraphing your moves, way before you make them," Scarlett warned, edging past her fist and pulling Susan's legs out from under her.

The woman hit the mat flat on her back and felt the air leave her lungs. She quickly hopped back to her feet, and Scarlett nodded her approval.

"Nicely done," she offered. "But you have to be able to follow through," she warned. "You could have managed to make a hit if you weren't so upset about being flattened," she told her.

"The field isn't personal," Scarlett told her. "It's not a matter of who landed on their backs, it's who gets up and stays up..."

Susan nodded, listening to the agent's advice. When she hesitated, instead of charging, Scarlett thought maybe she'd end up learning something today, after all.

Scarlett edged forward, working to land a blow to the kidneys of her opponent. She missed when Susan dodged and felt the shift of air beside her head, quickly ducking a fist.

"Good!" she praised the other woman. "You didn't over think it- and _almost_ got me," she smirked.

"You are fast," Susan smiled. "I'll give you that..." she reached over and caught Scarlett behind the back in a head lock. "But being fast won't get you out of this," she told her, squeezing her tightly.

Scarlett felt the bigger woman's arm moved to lock behind her. She shifted, dropping down, causing her to lose her grip. As she fell forward, she kicked her legs up and sent Susan sliding across the mat.

"Maybe not, but down underestimate a lower center of gravity," she warned, lifting herself from the floor and reaching over to offer a hand to Susan.

"You've got the skills," she told her as the two stood once again to face each other. "You need to refine them... and maybe work on your teamwork a little," she mentioned. Scarlett pulled her headgear off.

"For now, go grab your lunch before you miss out..." she pulled off a glove and offered her hand to Susan. "I'm sure I'll be seeing you around," she said in an offer of friendship.

Susan pulled off her glove and shook her trainer's hand. "I'd like that," she said honestly. "I really would like to end up in the field, one day. This isn't a game for me, it's my life..."

Scarlett eyed her up. "Work on that chip on your shoulder, recruit. It's the only thing holding you back. You're going to work within units that are made up of people. People who you will come to depend on and who will need to depend on you... Be an asset," she grinned, "Not an ass..."

Susan laughed, looking shyly over her shoulder at the other women of her group. "I promise, I'll work on it," she smiled and Scarlett patted her shoulder.

"Head out..." she told her. Looking towards the others, she nodded. "All of you. We are done here," Scarlett moved off the mat to grab up her bag and towel. She looked up as Spencer headed over towards her and offered her a water bottle.

"Hello, farm boy," she said quietly so her voice didn't carry. "What brings you down here?"

"I thought you'd want to grab some lunch after training," he told her, transferring her bag from her shoulder to his own. "Watched the show instead..." he looked over to where the others were filing out of the doors. He noticed some of the women stop to talk to the one Scarlett had dubbed Xena.

"Problem student?" he asked and Scarlett watched his gaze.

"No," she shook her head. "Susan is good. She just needs to learn to play well with others," she stated. "Let's just say I could relate..." she teased. "Sometimes being the biggest in a group is as intimidating as being the smallest... So I gave her an opportunity to take the attitude down a notch without losing face."

"You? Not play well?" he said with mock incredulity. "That can't be so..." he grinned.

"Stuff it, Reid," she laughed. Scarlett took his hand easily as they walked down the hallway together.

"Do you know what I was thinking?" she asked him lightly.

"God, no, and let's hope we never start reading each other's minds," he teased.

"Mmm, too late... you see into mine more often than not, Spence," she grinned. "But, seriously... I was thinking, as long as we aren't called out onto a case soon, I'd like to take a quick trip back to Chicago for the weekend," she told him.

"Okay," he replied, stepping back as she stood in the door of the women's locker room.

Scarlett smiled up at him. "Just, 'okay'," she said. "No questions, nothing? You are too sweet, Spencer Reid..."

He cocked his head a bit, looking down into her eyes. "You don't need to explain a reason why you'd want to take a trip home, Scarlett," he told her with a shrug. "I figured you just wanted to see your family..."

"And you'd be right," she teased. "See, you do read my mind."

She stood up on her toes giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. He blushed slightly, looking around to see if anyone was in the hallway, before dropping a return kiss to her lips.

"And," she clarified as she stepped back towards the lockers, "I want us to tell Mom we are engaged," she told him. "In person..." Scarlett giggled at the tense look on his face.

"It'll be fine, Spence," she grinned. "Don't look so stricken..."

Reid scowled a little, a furrow crossing his brow.

"I haven't gotten you a ring yet Scarlett," he told her. "I want to get you an engagement ring..." he told her when he saw her twist the ring already on her finger.

"Okay farm boy," she said. "We can go looking whenever you like."

He nodded. "Tonight then. After work..."

"Alright," Scarlett threw a look over her shoulder. "Let me shower and change quick and we'll grab lunch," she told him. "We'll figure out where to stop..."

"I know where I want to go..." he told her. "You want to take the bike?" he asked.

Scarlett quirked her brow. "You want to ride?"

"It's not too far..." he told her. "Thought I'd get some road time in?" he put the response in a question, wondering if she'd let him handle the drive.

Scarlett pressed her lips together into a thin line, seeming to consider. He watched her, wondering about the look on her face.

"Well?" he asked.

Scarlett grinned. "I'm just teasing farm boy... of course you can drive..." she winked, hip bumping him as she walked into the locker room.

Spencer headed back upstairs to finish his paperwork before she was ready to leave. He looked at his watch, deciding to call the jeweler to make sure they were open for evening hours tonight.

Morgan watched Reid tap nervously on the desk as he spoke into his phone. Spencer's leg also bounced under the desk. Derek grinned, seeing an opportunity to razz his friend. He stepped up behind Reid, placing his hands to Spencer's shoulders, chuckling as he jumped.

Looking back at Morgan, Reid angled the phone away from his friend, blocking the screen from his view.

"Right, yes... that'll be fine..." he stammered into the phone, pulling away from Derek's prying ears. "Sure, we will be there. Thanks again..." he quickly ended the call, swiping the name and number off the screen.

"Got a hot date tonight?" Morgan teased, poking at Spencer.

"No..." Reid scowled at Morgan. "Well, yeah, I guess... Scarlett and I are going out..." he shoved at Derek's hands when he made a grab for his phone.

"So what's the big secret?" Morgan laughed at how twitchy Reid was getting. He wasn't usually this easy to rile... unless something was up. Derek reached over to Reid's left side to make another grab for the phone and took it from the right when Spencer fell for the ruse.

Reid stood, snatching at the phone. "Knock it off, Derek..." he snapped, pressing his lips together tightly when his voice came out a bit louder than he'd planned. Spencer looked around quickly, making sure they weren't causing a scene.

"You're really wound tight, pretty boy..." Morgan grinned, handing him back the phone. "Is everything alright?" he asked, noting the tense look in Reid's eyes.

"Yes... fine, just... private..." he muttered. He saw Morgan's eyes narrow. Too late he realized how that sounded.

"Let's go in the conference room..." Spencer looked at his watch once more. "You have to keep it quiet though..."

"I can keep a secret Reid," Derek scowled. He followed Spencer into the empty room. "What's this about?"

"Scarlett asked me to marry her..." Spencer said as he turned back to face his future brother in law. Derek stopped short.

"Say what again?"

Reid wished he had a mirror to hold up in front of Morgan's face. He was pretty sure the shocked look wasn't quite what his friend had meant to pull off at the given news. Now Spencer grinned.

"Your _sister_ asked _me_ to marry her..." he said a little slower, emphasizing the pronouns just to irritate Morgan a little.

Derek shook his head, looking confused. "My sister, Scarlett... who sticks her fingers in her ears and runs in the other direction whenever she _thinks_ someone is talking commitment... _asked_ you to marry her... She _asked_..."

"Yup."

Spencer gave a little smug grin, shoving his hands into his pockets, rocking back on his heels, waiting for the news to sink in. Morgan rubbed a hand over his face. He looked over at Reid's self-satisfied expression and shook his head again.

"Did she at least get you a nice rock?" Derek laughed, teasingly. When Morgan threw an arm over his shoulder, pulling him close, Reid laughed.

"No... I'm still going old-fashioned on that. That's what the phone call was about..." he said as he straightened away from Derek, shoving his hair off his face. "Scarlett wants to go home this weekend to tell your mom we are engaged," he shrugged. "I want her to have an engagement ring before then."

"So, the call was..."

"Well," Spencer rubbed at his neck, nervously. "That's the secret. I kind of already bought one..." he shrugged, giving Derek a half smile. "I was planning ahead..."

Morgan laughed. "Of course you were, kid... wouldn't have expected any less from you..."

"But I want her to pick out her ring. I want to know she's really ready for this, not that I'm pushing, you know?" Derek watched as Reid began pacing again.

"If sis doesn't go running from the place, it could be the real deal?" Morgan joked.

"Yeah, something like that..." Spencer nodded nervously. "Plus, I want her to choose... So, I asked the jeweler to put the one I had engraved in with some of the stock, let her pick one, right?" he looked back at Morgan to get his opinion.

"What if she doesn't pick the one you've already gotten engraved?" Derek asked seriously.

"Then I put it away for an anniversary or something," Reid said off-hand. "It's hers... when I saw it, I just knew it..."

"You seem to think that a lot..." Morgan teased.

"Yeah, well..." Spencer scuffed his toe to the floor. "I can't help it. I see things and think of her, I want her to have them..."

"Uh-huh..." Morgan grinned. "You've got it bad, pretty boy."

Spencer rolled his eyes. "I know. Just, keep it quiet, okay? I think she wants to tell your mom herself..."

Derek put his hands up. "Don't think I'm getting in the middle of that- don't worry," he joked. "That kind of stuff is definitely between a girl and her Ma..."

Reid nodded, pacing nervously again. Morgan poked him.

"What about Penelope?" he laughed at the stricken look on Reid's face. "I won't tell, but when Penny finds out, she's going to be busting at the seams... and you know Scarlett will tell Baby Girl right off... if she hasn't already..."

Spencer thought about it a moment. "Do you think you and Penelope can come with us this weekend? It'd make Scarlett happy."

"I'll see what I can do..." Derek cocked his head, looking Reid over.

"What?!" Spencer looked around nervously. Morgan shrugged casually, then quickly grabbed Reid into a headlock, rubbing his knuckles over his hair.

"OW!" Spencer complained as he laughed.

"It looks like I'm getting that kid brother I always wanted," Morgan teased as he left the room, whistling.

Reid shook his head, straightening his hair. He was grinning from ear to ear.

Scarlett moved into his line of vision.

"What in the world was that all about?" she laughed, looking over Spencer's tousled hair.

"I told him the news..." Spencer shrugged. "He took it better than I expected," he joked, moving to walk beside her, as they left the building together.

"I asked if he and Penny might want to come along this weekend," he was telling her as they reached the bike. "I hope you don't mind..."

Scarlett stopped unlatching the saddlebags as she turned back to look at him.

"Mind?" she moved closer to stand in front of him, leaning up on her toes. "You are the most wonderful man alive, Spencer Reid. I'd be thrilled to have my whole family around..." she grinned, kissing his lips quickly.

"Good," Spencer hugged her close, kissing her hair as he set her helmet over her head, latching it.

"Then let's get you your ring..." he grinned.

Scarlett held on to his waist tightly on the short trip over to the business district. She enjoyed the ride immensely, taking note that he'd really gotten much better on handling the motorcycle through traffic. When they reached their destination, she commented on it.

"I think you're ready to get your license, farm boy," she told him, storing the helmets onto the rack.

Spencer grinned. "I had a good teacher," he told her, taking her hand and tugging her into the jeweler's shop.

Scarlett looked around the quaint store, taking in the area in a glance. It looked so old fashioned, as if it hadn't been touched through time. She grinned. It suited Spencer.

"Where did you find this place?" she asked, threading her fingers into his.

He shrugged. "Just came across it once, awhile ago..." he said noncommittally. "I liked it."

"I can see why," she admitted, looking over the wrought iron railings that ran along the circular staircase to the second floor. Stained glass windows decorated the walls and highly polished wood ran along the floors and display cases.

"It looks like a storybook shop," she grinned.

"It's actually a third generation jeweler... he's kept it as his grandfather had it. His son is in training to keep it going..."

Scarlett quirked an eyebrow. Spencer seemed to know a lot about a place he'd just happened to come across...

"You know the owner?" she asked.

Reid realized his mistake. "Sort of... just read up on the place. It charmed me..." he dodged the question in her eyes. "Look at the ceiling... it's hand painted... the owner's grandmother helped create it..." he deflected her attention to the art work.

He looked down at her face while she stared up in awe. "See what I mean?" he grinned. "The place drew me in, I wanted to know more..."

"Wow. Just wow- it's freaking gorgeous," Scarlett exclaimed, wandering along the shop, looking at the different paintings and carvings.

Spencer caught the owner's smile as Scarlett became enchanted by the place. He saw her trace a carving in the wood with her fingers as she wandered towards the back of the store, and took the moment to talk to the gentleman.

"Thank you for helping me out with this, Mr. Sands, I really appreciate it," Spencer shook the man's hand.

"It's not a problem at all..." the elderly man watched Scarlett wander into a far corner. "We have gotten stranger requests over the years, I can promise you that, Dr. Reid..." he smiled.

"From the looks of your lady, and her attraction to the details, I think your choice will suit her best as well," Mr. Sands told Spencer. "She's got an eye for the little things..."

"Well, thanks... I hope she picks it too," he stated with a nervous smile. "But I want the choice to be hers."

"I understand completely," the owner moved to greet Scarlett as she came back around to the display cases.

"Welcome, missus..." he took her hands, clasping them gently. "I am Reginald Sands, proud proprietor of this establishment.

"Thank you," Scarlett blushed slightly. "I didn't mean to be rude, poking around like that, but your store is beautiful... so much history here," she breathed, running her fingers over the scroll work etched into the glass.

"It's breathtaking..." she admitted.

"I appreciate the compliments," the man winked at her. "But I am thinking you aren't only here to look at the store?" he grinned.

Scarlett looked nervously over the cases. "We're looking for engagement rings," she answered.

"A happy occasion to celebrate... I hope we have something to your taste," he said as he set several velvet lined trays in front of her. "We have many different styles... Please, have a seat," he offered as he led her to the side of the display.

"I'm not sure what my style even is... I've never picked out a ring before," she stared wide eyed at all the glittering stones before her. She threw a look back at Spencer. He could see the anxiety in her eyes as she squared her shoulders and sat.

"Reid..." she squeaked out when Mr. Sands had left to assist another customer. "I have no idea what I'm looking at here..." Scarlett reached out, taking his hand tightly in hers.

Spencer sat down beside her, nudging her gently. "Katy- it's not a test... just take a look at a few you would like to try on..." he told her. "There's no wrong way to choose, crazy girl..." he grinned.

Scarlett closed her eyes a moment and he saw her lips move to the lyrics of "As I love you" as she listened to the song replay in her head.

"Okay, right..." she smiled up at him, leaning forward to look at the rings. Scarlett took in the different settings and cuts in a glance, closing her eyes once again to picture them on her hand, then shook her head.

"They are all very beautiful," she stated as Mr. Sands came to stand before them once again. "I just don't... Oh!"

The jeweler had set another display onto the counter top, and one caught her eye. The setting itself looked antique, with scroll work all along the band.

"May I?" she asked indicating the ring.

"Absolutely, my dear," Mr. Sands set the ring before her. Scarlett slid it onto her finger, looking at the details in the band. A small raised heart adorned the sides of the princess cut diamond. The relief in the filigree gave the sturdy band an elegant look.

"That piece is set in platinum, it's from the early 1920's..." he told her, watching her eyes as she looked at the piece.

"It's gorgeous," she spoke softly, turning her hand slightly as the diamond caught the light.

Mr. Sands smiled. "There is an engraving on the inside of the band, if you'd care to take a look?" he told her.

Scarlett met his eyes quickly before slipping the ring off to view the inscription.

'_As I Love You'_

Scarlett looked over to catch Spencer's slight grin.

"You already saw this," she told him. "You already knew I'd pick it..." she watched his eyes.

"I'd hoped you would..." he shrugged slightly. Spencer blushed furiously when she jumped up from her seat to move onto his lap.

"You _knew_..." Scarlett told him, kissing him hard on the mouth. When she pulled away a bit she saw his smile.

"Yeah, I knew, crazy girl," he told her, kissing her back.


	49. Chapter 49

Chapter 49

Scarlett hopped out of the cab before the others and ran up the walkway to her mother's home. Spencer heard her call out as she swung open the front door, her voice carrying as she hollered that she was home. He went with Morgan to the back of the car to grab their bags.

"Mom is going to be thrilled with this surprise visit," he laughed as he heard the excited voices moving back to the front of the house.

"I'm sure," Reid agreed. "And that you and Penelope were able to come too..."

Derek laughed. "Are you kidding? Garcia'd never miss the chance for Mom's cooking. She'll be bugging for baking lessons and recipes before the night is out..."

"Ha-ha," Penelope nudged Morgan in the hip. "If I learned to cook like your mom, you'd be my slave for life," she teased. "There is a method to my madness..."

He threw an arm around her and hugged her close. "Aw, baby girl, I'm already your slave for life... but Mom's cobbler would definitely seal my fate," he winked at her.

The three laughed as they moved towards the door and were met by Fran Morgan. She was smiling broadly as she grabbed each one into her embrace.

As she tucked her face against Derek's neck, he hugged her back tightly.

"Well," she said, taking a small step back and looking at her son. "I have no idea what's made this my lucky weekend, to have all my chicks home to roost, but I'm so happy," she linked her arms into Penelope's and Spencer's, dragging them into the house.

Scarlett met them at the foyer. She took her and Spencer's bags and started up the stairs. "I'll be back down in a second... then I want cookies," she said with a grin. "I've got some news..."

"Well, then," Frannie cast a look at Reid, then Derek. "I guess it's a good thing I have some made for when the boys come over after school..." she led the way into the kitchen and started a fresh pot of coffee.

When Scarlett bounced back into the room, her mom handed her a mug and the plate of sweets.

"Okay, Katy, let's hear it..." she said as she tugged her daughter over to the table. "You came all the way here to give me news... it's got to be big..."

"Yup," Scarlett grinned over the cookie, flashing the engagement ring under her mother's nose.

Fran's eyes widened. "Seriously?" she took her hand and looked from Scarlett to Spencer.

Scarlett beamed brightly. "Seriously, Mama... Spence and I are engaged..." she laughed as Frannie flung her arms around the both of them, dragging them into a hug. She heard Spencer 'oof' at the grip, but he was smiling.

"Oh, this is huge news! The best," Fran said as she continued to hang on to the both of them. "My baby," she sniffled slightly and drew back, releasing them.

"I've got to call you sisters... They will be so thrilled," she started, taking Scarlett's hand and looking at the ring again. "We're going to have a huge celebration for dinner, and we can surprise them... Oh!" she hugged Scarlett again. "I'm so happy for you baby girl!"

Spencer backed up a step, moving to sit at the table. He caught Derek's grin and smiled.

"Have you decided on a date yet?" Fran asked, looking between Spencer and Scarlett.

"We didn't, Mama, not yet," she answered, taking another cookie from the tray. "We haven't planned anything yet. We wanted to tell you first..."

"Well, I'm honored," she sniffed again and stood up to grab a box of tissues from the counter. "And I think I'm going to embarrass you Katy, and have myself a little cry..."

"Oh, Mama..." Scarlett moved over to stand beside her, leaning into her mother's shoulder.

"It's a good cry, baby," she said as she hugged Scarlett back. "Happy tears."

Derek rolled his eyes and grabbed another cookie himself. "I'm really going to cry... I'm almost out of cookies..." he teased, earning himself an exasperated look from his mother. She reached over and cuffed his head lightly.

"Penelope, when are you going to take this boy off my hands for me?" she teased.

Garcia laughed. "It's not for the lack of trying on my behalf," she offered. "Maybe I need to make cookies..."

"Your cookies are fine, baby girl," Morgan laughed. "Ow," he ducked a bit as his mother's next cuff landed a bit harder.

"Hey, that was a genuine compliment," he groused, dodging Fran's look. "It wasn't code," he snickered.

"Mmm-hmm," Fran looked from him to Garcia. Her mother's eyes saw a bit more there than before.

"And you have news for me too then?"

"Uh," Penelope twisted a bit in her seat, embarrassed. The move wasn't lost on Spencer. He looked over at Morgan, just as Frannie did.

Scarlett laughed. "I _knew_ it..." she grinned, moving next to Reid. "I thought maybe I was just projecting..."

"Katy..." Derek scowled slightly, staring at his coffee.

Fran walked over to sit beside Garcia. As she passed her, she patted her shoulder lightly. "So that's how it is then... too new to discuss?" she offered.

"Something like that..." Derek blushed. Scarlett opened her mouth to tease, but caught Spencer's soft shake of his head.

"Oh, okay, fine... I'll drop it," she told him. But she gave her brother a toothy grin.

Frannie laughed. "Okay, subject change," she said lightly. "We're going to have everyone drop by for dinner, so I need to run to the store," she told Scarlett. "How long are you staying?"

Scarlett sat back in the chair. "We're yours for the whole weekend, Mom..."

"Good," she reached over and grabbed a small pad from the counter. "I'm going to start a list," she told them. "You can come with me," she told Derek. "I'll need those arms to haul groceries. And since you'll eat most of it, you're elected..."

Morgan sighed. "So much for the game this afternoon," he said with a resigned look. He knew his mom wanted to get him alone to ask about Penelope. Not being certain himself about his new feelings, he wasn't sure what he'd even say. Their relationship had moved onto a different playing field, and he wasn't quite sure on the rules. Mostly, he was scared to death about screwing up and losing his best friend.

Scarlett watched her brother's face, noting the tension under his smile. She decided to press Penelope for more details later, if she could manage to get her friend alone. But it was clear _something_ was going on between the two.

"So, what should I make for dinner?" Fran asked.

Scarlett grinned. "French fries..." Her mother rolled her eyes.

"Your nephews would be thrilled with that menu," she told Katy. "But I was thinking something more substantial..." she looked over to Spencer.

"What's your favorite, honey?"

Reid felt a blush creep into his face at the endearment. Scarlett found his hand under the table and gave it a squeeze. He felt her press three fingers into his palm.

"I, uh, don't really know," he shrugged slightly. "I like just about anything, really..."

Fran considered him a moment. "I'll make spaghetti and meatballs then," she nodded, writing some items down on her list. "You've never tried my sauce..." she told him. "I can guarantee you'll say it's your favorite after you try it," she smiled.

Spencer nodded. "I'm sure I will," he told her.

"Okay, then, that's decided," she stood and aimed a look at Derek. "Let's get shopping," she told him, tugging his arm as she moved. "Scarlett, you and Penny can start dessert. I know I've taught you how to bake a cake..."

"Yep," Scarlett grinned, know that was her mom's way of getting her the chance to talk with Penelope. "We'll get it done. Pens is a great baker..." she nudged her friend under the table.

"Oh, poo..." Garcia stuck her tongue out at Scarlett, knowing when she was being maneuvered.

"I'll call your sisters on the way to the store... tell them to be here at seven," Fran said as she tossed her keys over to Derek, drilling him in the back with her finger to move him along.

Morgan shot a quick apologetic look over his shoulder to Penelope and shrugged.

When Scarlett heard the front door close, she grinned evilly over at her friend.

"Okay, Penelope... spill it..." she ordered, moving over to the cupboards to find the ingredients for the cake.

"Scarlett..." Reid's voice carried a bit of a warning tone.

"Oh, no..." she said, pulling down a heavy bowl. "If I'm getting stuck baking a cake, I'm at least going to get to hear the dirt..." she told him, tugging on a lock of his hair as she passed him.

Spencer sighed and gave Penelope a look that conveyed his sympathies. Scarlett wasn't going to drop it.

"Maybe I should..." he stood, hoping to escape the room.

Scarlett pushed him over to the counter. "Chop nuts," she told him. "You aren't escaping that easily, farm boy." she opened the fridge and took out some carrots, tossing them on the table in front of Garcia.

"You get peel and shred duty," she told her. "Carrot cake," she grinned. "So mom can't say I didn't eat vegetables..."


	50. Chapter 50

Chapter 50

Scarlett lay snuggled in the narrow bed next to Spencer. She couldn't sleep, too many things were running through her mind from the course of the day's events. When Reid shifted his arm slightly under her shoulder, she leaned up on her elbow to look down at him.

"Are you awake?" she asked quietly, staring through the moonlight at his face. He opened one eye and looked up at her.

"Yes... You think too loud..." he whispered back.

"Sorry, I can't settle my brain," she complained. "Too much to think about..." she told him.

"What's worrying you, crazy girl?" he asked softly, reaching up to brush some of her hair from her face.

"I'm not _worrying_," she clarified. "I just keep replaying Penny's worries over in my head... I wish there was something I could say or do to make them both see that they are so great for each other..." she stated, referring to her brother and Garcia's new dating status.

"Scarlett," Reid sighed. "It's really not your call..."

She huffed slightly at that. "If not me, then who..." she pouted.

Spencer laughed lightly and touched her bottom lip. "How about 'theirs'," he suggested.

"Ugh," she complained. "You are such a guy..."

Reid pulled her closer, nuzzling her neck. "Yeah... pretty sure I am..." he teased.

Scarlett laughed and pushed on his chest. "Seriously, Spence..."

He straightened up and tucked her back onto his shoulder. "Get some sleep, crazy girl... you don't need to interfere with this... I think Morgan can handle his own relationships," he told her.

Scarlett snorted. "Right, he's done so well up til now..." she shifted again, looking back down at Spencer. He sighed.

"If he does anything stupid, I will kick his ass," she frowned.

"You can't leave this go, can you?" he asked.

"No."

"Scarlett, sometimes you have to let people figure things out for themselves," he told her. "They'll work it out..."

"Or they won't," she rolled her eyes.

"Or they won't," he agreed. "But it's up to them..."

"You're not helping," she sighed. She felt him chuckle under his breath and slapped at him playfully.

"Don't laugh at me Reid," she warned, moving to stretch out across the top of his body. "I'll squash you..."

Spencer shifted underneath her weight and pulled her down closer. "You couldn't squash a flea," he teased, nibbling on her ear.

Scarlett turned her head slightly to give him a better angle at her neck. When he nipped a trail down to her collarbone, she felt the chill move up her spine.

"Well, that's a little bit more of a distraction," she hummed softly.

"Then let me take your mind off things," he breathed against her ear.

"Might take awhile," she told him.

"We've got all night..."

The next morning, Spencer and Derek sat out on the back patio drinking coffee. Morgan looked back through the sliding glass doors, watching his sister and Garcia making breakfast.

"So, should I be worried if Scarlett is putting something in my eggs?" he asked Reid with a halfhearted chuckle.

Spencer looked up from the newspaper, following the direction of his friend's gaze.

"Have you broken any hearts lately?" he asked with a shrug.

Morgan scowled. "No, and I don't intend to... Is that what she's thinking? That I'm playing around?"

"No," Reid turned the pages, scanning the articles. "She knows better than that. She's worried you might screw things up..." he commented offhand, turning another page.

"Well, yeah, I'm worried about that too, so tell her to get in line..."

Spencer sighed. "Derek, you and Penelope know each other better than an old married couple," he told his friend honestly. "You two won't 'screw up' anything... and if either of you make a mistake, you fix it..."

"Ah, sage advice from the resident relationship expert..." Derek teased.

"Just a lot of practice screwing up," Spencer laughed. His eyes moved to look over Morgan's shoulder, and a frown quickly replaced his smile.

"Morgan..." he said as Derek turned behind him to see what Reid was scowling at.

Spencer stood up at the table, blocking the back door. Derek quickly took a stand beside him as Brian walked up onto the patio.

"I'm not looking for trouble..." the man said, putting his hands in the air as he faced the two.

"Too late," Morgan barked. "You've found it..."

Brian took a step back. "I heard Scarlett was in town... I just wanted to talk to her. We used to all be friends once, Derek. Can't I talk to my friends?"

"You lost the right to call her that when you laid a hand on her," Reid stated flatly, taking a step forward.

"Look!" Brian pointed at Reid. "You don't get a say in this, I'm not asking you..."

Morgan watched Spencer's shoulders tense and stepped up between the two.

"Reid's got every right to toss you on your ass," he told Brian. "You've got two seconds to get off our mother's property before I let him do just that..." he warned him.

Brian took another step away from the men, jamming his hands through his hair. "I don't want a fight... Christ," he muttered under his breath, turned away and then turned back again. "I have a message for her. I ran into her father..."

Reid and Morgan both jumped at him and Brian ducked. Grabbing him by the arms, they dragged him back to his car. Morgan scanned the area as Spencer watched the back doors, making certain the women weren't aware of this little scene. Derek shoved Brian against his car.

"What do you mean you ran into Scarlett's father...?" he asked even as Reid started talking.

"Where? Where did you see him...?" Spencer was asking.

"Jesus!" Brian rubbed at his arms where they'd both grabbed him. "It was awhile ago... two weeks? I thought maybe he'd gotten in touch with her even, since she'd come back... What the hell?" he whined.

Spencer caught Derek's eyes. Brian didn't know. He had no idea of the story behind Scarlett and her father.

"Scarlett and her father are estranged," Reid said quietly. "She doesn't talk to him..."

Brian huffed, raising his eyes slightly to meet Spencer's. "Yeah, I kinda got part of that from the old man... and Scarlett isn't about second chances... I should know," he frowned. "But I thought maybe in his case, he'd gotten to at least tell her- maybe she'd changed her mind..."

"Where did you see him?" Reid asked again.

"Uh, about a month ago, I came across this..." he took a piece of folded newspaper from his back pocket. Spencer opened it, read the ad and handed it to Derek with a scowl.

"You answered it?" he asked Brian.

"Well, yeah... It asked for anyone who knew her to contact them..."

"So you jumped right on that..." Morgan snarled. "You just had to stay a part of her life somehow..."

"I thought it might have been _important_!" Brian snapped back. "I thought I could help Scarlett..."

Reid shook his head. "What happened when you contacted the number?" he asked, trying to get the whole story out of the man.

"I'd rather tell Scarlett... make sure she gets the message..." he said a little louder, folding his arms against his chest. Spencer saw his gaze shift and knew Scarlett had come out of the house. He cast a look over to Morgan.

Derek watched his sister set her face into a mask as she came down to stand beside them.

"What is going on here, boys?" she asked in a half bored tone. She took Reid's hand and stood closer to his side. Spencer shifted slightly to rest his arm across her waist. When he nodded to Morgan, Scarlett took the paper from her brother and scanned it. Brian grinned.

Reid felt Scarlett tense and begin to shake slightly. She held the nerves in check with sheer will. She wouldn't let Brian know she'd been frightened by the ad.

_Actively Seeking any Information on the whereabouts of Katy Scarlett Ryan. Her family is searching for her. Anyone with any knowledge of how she may be contacted please call the number below. This is a matter of Life and Death. Please help us. (630) 555-2312_

Scarlett folded the page and handed it back to Morgan.

"What does this have to do with you, Brian? Or should I guess?" she ground out.

Brian looked surprised. "You really are a cold bitch, Scarlett..." She felt Spencer's hand grip her waist and leaned into his warmth.

"Yes, I am Brian. Now, what was the message..."


	51. Chapter 51

Chapter 51

Katy sat at her mother's kitchen table, drinking some chamomile tea. She watched Penelope closely as she sifted through information that was bouncing across the laptop screen. She sighed as Spencer wrapped an arm across her shoulder, leaning her head into his neck.

"What am I going to do, Spence?" she asked softly.

"_We_ are going to verify that this is even true, before _we_ do anything," he told her, kissing her temple.

"He told Brian I have a twelve year old sister, Reid... I have to meet with him to see her... I can't just let that go..."

"Scarlett, we aren't saying let it go..." Spencer rubbed her shoulder. "Nobody is saying that... but we need to make certain he's not lying, just to get you to meet him..."

Scarlett choked back some tears. "I can imagine what she must be going through..."

"No... Katy..." Reid turned her face up to his, meeting her eyes. "Don't go there," he told her softly. "Please don't do that..."

Penelope took Scarlett's hand. "I found her... Katy-bird..." she said softly, as she turned the computer towards her friends. Garcia reached back to hold Derek's hands when he rested them on her shoulders. Frannie moved to stand behind Scarlett.

Several windows were opened across the screen. Scarlett read the birth certificate for Noreen Rowan, first, noting the dates. A few school records were listed in another. A death certificate for an Angela Rowan dated two years ago, showed the fate of Noreen's mother. Cancer had taken her away from her daughter, leaving Noreen as a ward of the state. Scarlett heard her mother inhale a sharp breath at the court record showing Ian's paternal rights and the her release into his hands.

"How could they do that?" Fran asked, tightening her grip on Scarlett's shoulders. "Don't they check the backgrounds of people that they give these children up to?"

"Mama..." Scarlett's voice shook as she pulled up the picture of Noreen that had been listed in the file. When she met Fran's eyes, she saw tears there also.

"Jesus..." Morgan breathed out, looking at Reid. He moved out of the kitchen, returning quickly from the living room with a framed picture in his hand. He set Scarlett's picture beside the screen.

"Oh, my..." Penelope breathed out as she looked from the one to the other. They were virtually identical.

Scarlett squeezed her mother's hand. "Mama," she said again. "I have a sister out there..."

Frannie pulled Scarlett against her chest as she cried. She looked to the others.

"What are we going to do to help this little girl," she asked them. "And how are you going to keep my baby safe?"

"Reid..." Morgan stood up and moved to the back door. "Give us a minute Ma, to talk before we decide anything..." Spencer followed Derek outside, with one last look towards Scarlett folded into her mother's embrace.

Derek paced halfway through the yard and back.

"We can't let her meet with Rowan, Reid. It's got to be a trap. Why is he so desperate to get to Scarlett? This isn't adding up... you know it..."

"She's not going to give us a choice, Morgan. She doesn't feel like she has one. She'll meet him... but I don't know what that will mean- I don't know what will happen with that girl..." he stood at the edge of the lawn, looking out towards the yard. "But you know we aren't going to keep Scarlett from meeting with him, for her sake."

"Then we make a plan, for a public place... somewhere we can control the situation..." Morgan said.

"And Noreen?"

"We don't know for sure if Rowan's done anything wrong there... If we can get the girl to say it, we may be able to get her out, to safety, and put the bastard back in jail..."

"Why do I have this feeling it won't be that simple?" Reid asked softly, turning back to meet Morgan's eyes.

"We have to hope for the best, kid. And plan on the worst..." he told him.

Reid jammed his hands in his pockets. "I promised her I'd keep her safe, Derek. I need to be able to do that..."

"Then we're on the same page there. Scarlett is my priority too, Reid."

"Alright, then," he huffed out a breath, running his hands through his hair. "Let's go back in and try to figure out how to get this done..." he turned back to the doors.

Scarlett had moved into the front room. Fran noticed Spencer's eyes dart quickly around the kitchen before he caught sight of her and went towards her. She looked over at her son.

"He'll do whatever he can to keep her safe..." Morgan told her. "So will I..."

"I know that baby," she hugged him tightly. "I want you all to be safe."

"We're going to have to let her meet with him," he turned to Garcia. "Can you locate him, baby girl?"

Penelope nodded. "I'm already working on it... I've added Noreen and Angela's names to the search... and that other phone number..." she tapped information into her computer.

She looked up at Derek. "The number has had several hits, all inside Virginia."

"So he's already tracked her down..." Derek scowled.

"That couldn't have been too hard since Brian had told him she worked for the BAU..." Fran's dark look matched her son's.

Scarlett stood looking out the front window, half listening to the conversation from the other room. She felt Reid come to stand behind her and leaned back into his arms.

"You understand why I have to do this," she stated. There was no question in her tone. She knew he understood.

Spencer held her tighter. "We can make the arrangements to meet him," he suggested. "You don't have to show... we can keep him away from you..."

Scarlett shook her head. "No... if he figures it out and goes underground again, we may never find Noreen..."

Reid was ready to live with that possibility if it meant protecting Scarlett. But he knew she wasn't.

"Okay, then we let Penny do her thing, find out every move he's made and we do this together. On our turf..."

Scarlett closed her eyes and turned in his arms. Hugging him closer, she lay her head over his heart, listening to it beat under her ear.

"I can't let this go, Spence. I can't just walk away, not even for you..." she told him.

"I know, Katy..." he breathed in deeply, pressing a kiss to her crown. "I didn't think you could. But I need you to use your head, darling. Stay with us, let us help protect you..." he sighed and rubbed a cheek against her hair. "Trust us, okay?"

He felt her nod, even as she wiped at her eyes. "I do. You know that... I trust you, and D and Pens... and I don't trust Rowan..."

She turned towards the kitchen when she heard Penelope say she had tracked the phone number to Virginia. She reached out and took Reid's hand.

"Let's go make a plan..." she told him. She shook slightly, as if a chill ran across her spine and Spencer pulled off his sweater, zipping her into it. He took her chin and met her eyes, searching.

"Don't go anywhere on me, Scarlett," he begged her.

"No," she answered, touching his face. "I'm staying right here, with you. You are my home, Spencer Reid. You are my future. I've got to face the past, but I'm going to do that with you..."

"Okay, together then..." he took her hand and followed her back into the kitchen where the others were waiting.

"You okay, little one?" Derek looked from Scarlett's eyes to Reid's for confirmation. When Spencer gave a slight nod, he continued.

"Penny tracked the phone number," he told them. "It looks like it's very active... it's listed under Angela's name..." he told them. "And the hotel that it's being used most from has a guest listed as a Rowan Ryan."

"When did they check in?" Scarlett asked her tone defensive. She felt irritation fissure up her spine at his use of her mother's name in this...

"Last week."

Scarlett shook. "He may have been watching... he could have gotten close," she felt Reid's arms tighten around her again. She grasped his hand and pressed three fingers into his palm, reassuring him she was still with him.

"Okay, okay... I'm alright," she rubbed his arms. "I'm okay, farm boy," she told him.

"We need to take the ball... set up arrangements so we make the shots," Derek told her.

"Home field advantage," Scarlett smiled slightly, taking up her brother's euphemism.

"Yes. Katy-bird," he called her nickname softly, bringing her eyes to his. "I can make the call to set something up... but he may want to hear you so he knows you're with me."

Scarlett nodded. "Knowing it's you may satisfy him... he'd believe you..."she stated. "He knows wherever you are, I'm not far behind, D," she told him. "But if he insists on talking to me, I will," she leaned back into Spencer's embrace. "He can't touch me. I'm not a scared little girl anymore..."

"No, but you are still my little girl..." Fran moved over towards where Scarlett stood. "You set up whatever you need to on your end," she told her, framing Scarlett's face with her hands. "But I am coming with you. I'm not leaving your side either, baby girl..."

Scarlett felt her eyes fill with tears. "Mama, I don't want..."

"I won't be in any danger Scarlett. I need to be there too. For you, for me and if she'll let me, for Noreen too. I need to be there too..." she repeated, looking over at Derek. "So figure me into your plans..."

"Alright... you ready?" Derek pulled out his phone. "We'll set up a meeting for this week... Wednesday..."

Reid nodded. "The mall. Tell him she'll meet him at the mall. It's public enough for me..." he said as he held Scarlett tighter. "And if he insists she come alone, deal's off. I'm with her..."

"Spence..."

"No Katy," Morgan interrupted her. "He's right. You aren't going in alone. And Rowan won't expect us to let you... I'll tell him your husband insists on being there with you," he stated. "He won't suspect anything..."

Scarlett nodded and felt some of the tenseness leave Spencer's grip. "Okay..." she agreed.

"And Penelope and I can blend in with the crowd..." Frannie stated. "You aren't going to be alone, Katy."

"Right..." she blew out a breath and looked around at her family. "I know..." she smiled up at Spencer, hugging him tight. "Make the call, Derek," she told him, as she buried her face into Reid's chest and waited.


	52. Chapter 52

Chapter 52

Spencer awoke to sounds coming from his kitchen and the smell of coffee and eggs frying. He took a moment to gather his senses, looking over at where Scarlett was sleeping beside him.

It seemed Fran Morgan was an even earlier riser than her daughter.

Reid got up quietly as to not wake Scarlett and dressed, going to join Frannie in the kitchen. He hoped he could get a few moments alone with her before Katy woke up.

"Good morning, Spencer," she smiled at him as she set a skillet of fried potatoes onto a trivet on the table. "I hope you don't mind me making myself at home..."

"No, not at all," he returned her smile as he helped himself to a cup of coffee. When she lifted her mug, he added more to hers. "We don't usually get a home cooked breakfast on week days," he grinned, "I'm not going to complain..."

"Good, then eat..." Fran set another plate in front of him. She sat down beside him and eyed him over the top of her mug as she took a sip of coffee. "And ask me that question in your eyes, Spencer, before our girl wakes up..." she added with a wink.

"Am I that transparent?" he asked her.

"Well, I wouldn't say that..." she grinned. "But I know when someone has a question on their mind and they are just trying to figure out a way to ask it..."

Reid shifted in his seat, staring into his mug. That was the problem, he couldn't find the right words to ask... so it was probably best to just get it out.

"You were friends with Scarlett's mother, Amelia, right?" he looked up at Fran.

"Yes, we were the best of friends, even through high school, long before Scarlett came along..." she told him, as she turned to transfer eggs to another plate. "We all called her Amy though," she said with a soft smile. "We were as close as Scarlett and Penny..."

"When she was killed in that car accident, I was shattered," she told him honestly. "Too young, leaving behind a baby..." she shook her head. "I guess a part of me transferred my love for Amy into her daughter. I just needed to..." she sighed.

"So you knew Rowan..." Spencer watched her face.

Fran nodded. "Amy was very much like our Scarlett, Spencer. She had a personality that just drew people to her like moths to a flame. Rowan was handsome, but controlling. A bit cold... but I never knew him to be abusive. And I believe Amy would have told me..." she looked over at Reid.

"Is that what you're asking? If there were any signs?"

When Spencer shrugged but then nodded, she continued.

"Not that I noticed, but I was so busy with my life, too at the time. Three kids, a husband on the force, I can't say I paid particular attention to those things then... Life was idyllic, so I may have looked at everything through rose colored glasses..." she stood and poured herself more coffee, losing herself in her thoughts before sitting back down next to Spencer.

"I remember Amy saying about fights, but I couldn't tell you if they were normal arguments of couples... If it was worse, she'd never shared that with me. I was naïve enough to think back then that love conquers all," she said, patting his hand.

"So when they were a family, things seemed okay between them?" Reid asked.

"I thought so..." she tilted her head towards him, and Reid wondered how, with no biology between them, Fran could look so much like Scarlett in just that little movement. "But you're looking beyond that..."

Spencer sighed. "I guess I'm wondering what Rowan's game is with all this. If he was a 'normal' family man at one point, could he have changed again? Maybe he doesn't want to cause Scarlett any harm... now."

"You're worrying about how much to worry?" she asked.

Spencer shrugged. "Yeah, I guess..."

Frannie listened as footsteps sounded in the other room. Scarlett was awake.

"I don't know, Spencer. I know you'll keep her safe, I'll trust in that. But I don't know the answer to if he's sincere or if he could be... I just don't know. I can tell you that at one point, before Amy died, she'd seemed happy. She loved Scarlett more than anything. He wasn't a big piece in the picture I saw. And after she died, when he became a big piece, things shattered in Scarlett's life. To me, that makes him a part of a problem. And I'll tell you I treated him as such. I did everything I could to keep her from him, barring breaking any laws. Sadly, the laws were on his side..."

"That must have been incredibly frustrating for you..." Spencer stated quietly.

"Well, I'll admit, I learned to play the game. Scarlett needed a mother in her life, I was happy to stand in... which left Rowan with less responsibilities to his daughter, so I used that to my advantage... I kept her under my roof for weeks on end, whenever I could. That left him plenty of time to drink and party... Maybe a part of me hoped he'd just go away. Eventually, he did..." she scowled. "It wasn't soon enough..."

Reid understood Fran's frustration. He looked up behind her as Scarlett came through the door in her jogging clothes. Their eyes met briefly, signally the end of the conversation.

"Mama, if you are going to cook like this every morning, I'm going to have to add miles into my morning jog," Scarlett moaned, grabbing a mug from the counter before pulling up a seat next to Spencer.

Fran looked at her daughter, masking her face into a disapproving look. "You need to eat, Katy... especially if you are jogging and burning up extra calories.

Scarlett scooped up some of the potatoes. "I'm eating," she teased. "Especially when you made my favorites," she laughed, pointing a fork at the plate.

Reid grinned. "Never known you to turn down any form of potatoes, crazy girl..." he teased, dropping a kiss to her temple as he stood. "I'm going to get changed, wait for me before you go jogging..." he told her.

"Cool," she answered, shoveling another forkful into her mouth. "At least I'll get a work out, if you go... we can race back."

"Maybe one of these days, I'll let you win," he offered, walking out of the room. Scarlett scowled at his back.

"_Let_ me win?"

"Yeah, maybe, one day... not today though," he stated, getting her hackles up.

Fran laughed at the by-play. She knew Reid was irritating Scarlett on purpose so she didn't think to ask any questions about their conversation before she'd come into the room. It worked. Scarlett fairly smoldered a look through the door at his back.

"Let me win," she scoffed, looking back to her mother. "As if..." she said flatly, scooping up some eggs and swallowing.

"Do you two go running together a lot?" Fran asked.

"Ever morning that we get the chance," Scarlett said.

"Have you ever beaten him?"

"No," Scarlett scowled. "Sometimes I can keep up for a short distance," she grinned. "But he's fast..."

Fran nodded. "And you want to beat him..."

"Fair and square..." Scarlett said. "One day I will, too..."

"But not today..." Frannie laughed.

"Mmm-hmm, we'll see about that," Scarlett grinned.

Spencer stuck his head in the kitchen. "You ready?" he asked.

"Yup," Scarlett took another quick gulp of coffee and gave her mother a hug. "Thanks for breakfast Mama," she told her as she leaned into the squeeze. "I'll take care of the dishes."

"Don't worry about that," Fran gave her a little shove. "Go. Run..." she told Scarlett. "Have some fun..."


	53. Chapter 53

Chapter 53

Scarlett followed Spencer down the front stairs. They'd agreed to jog their regular route and then race back to the house. It gave them about three miles in total to work out, which fit into their schedule before having to head into work.

She stretched out her hamstrings, leaning forward as Spencer turned back to ask her a question. She saw his eyes move from hers to beyond her and in that split second felt a snake of fear wrap through her chest.

Reid moved quickly to the bottom of the staircase, planting himself in front of Scarlett. She hadn't realized he'd been armed, yet his weapon was now in his hands, pointed at the man standing before him on the sidewalk.

"You don't belong here," Spencer's voice was direct, tone lowered with a silent order hanging in it. He pulled back the hammer of his revolver with an audible click.

"Get away from her..." he demanded, leveling the barrel at Rowan's heart.

Ian stepped back to the edge of the curb, slowly raising his hands in the air.

"I've not come here to make trouble," he told them both quietly. "I need to speak to Scarlett..."

Reid felt her move closer to his back and a weak noise came from her throat at the sound of Rowan's voice. He could feel her shaking behind him and was worried.

"No. You were told you could speak to her. We set it up. Not here, not now... You need to leave..."

Spencer shifted when Rowan moved to look around him towards Scarlett. "I said leave..."

Scarlett closed her eyes and concentrated on her breathing. She knew her heart was racing and fought to control that also. She didn't want to panic in front of this man. She moved closer to Reid, hiding her face in his back. The terror she felt was tangible and she hated herself for being weak to it. Borrowing her strength from Spencer, she breathed in his scent and pressed closer.

"Scarlett," she heard Reid's soft voice through the ringing in her ears. "Go inside," he told her, feeling her face pressing against his spine and her fingers digging into his waist. He could feel her tremble, even as she shook her head.

"No," she told him, in a small voice. "I need to do this," she whispered.

"Not now, you don't," he told her, keeping his gun aimed at the man.

He felt her hands move from clutching his shirt to release him as she shifted slightly under his arm.

"If I hide now, Spence, I may never come back..." she told him. He looked down at her face briefly as she came out from behind him. "I'm not losing myself again," she told him, holding his gaze.

Reid nodded slightly, his lips pressed together tightly in a grim countenance. "I'm right here, Katy," he told her as she moved more into view.

When she came out from behind Spencer, Ian took a step forward.

"No, stay back..." Reid warned. "You try to touch her and I'll drop you where you stand..."

"Aye, and you would too, wouldn't you," Rowan said in his slight Irish brogue. He looked Reid over. "That's a good lad..." he smiled a bit.

Scarlett heard Spencer growl lightly in his chest.

"No," she told him, turning to put her hand on Spencer's arm. "Weapon down, Reid," she told him, garnering her an incredulous look from both men.

"I told you before. He's not worth it..." she watched Spencer's eyes as he reluctantly lowered the revolver. He kept it at the ready, which was all the concession he was willing to give to her request at this point.

Scarlett nodded, seeing him comply with her request. She knew Rowan wouldn't get past him to her. That was enough to give her courage. She touched Reid's face lightly before turning to face her abuser.

She studied the face of the man who terrorized her most of her young life. Noting changes that had formed over the years, she found herself comparing him to the image that she'd carried of him in her head.

His hair had thinned and grayed over the years, his body that had once frightened her so badly now looked weak and frail. Age had not been kind to him. His eyes even looked hazy, she thought as she finally made herself look into them.

"You are sick..." she told him, taking a tentative step forward. She felt Spencer shift beside her, so he was still blocking her slightly. She wrapped and arm around his waist and leaned into him, as much for his comfort as her own.

"You're ill..." she spoke again to Rowan. "I can see it, clearly. Is that why you are suddenly so worried about making amends then?" she asked him. "Fearing for your soul, Ian?"

Rowan stood straighter, returning her gaze. When he stepped closer this time, he ignored Reid's warning hiss.

"My soul is my own concern, Katy Scarlett. I'll pay for my sins, and am, I promise you that. It's my own cross to bear..."

"It isn't heavy enough," Scarlett turned at the sound of her mother's voice coming down the stairs. When she stopped next to her and took her other hand, Katy felt herself surrounded by love. She sighed deeply and squeezed her mother's hand.

Rowan watched the woman move to stand by Scarlett's other side. "Hello, Fran..." he said and earned a scathing glance from her.

"Your brother and Penny are on the way," Fran told Scarlett quietly. "You are not alone, Katy-bird," she told her, kissing her forehead.

"I know, Mama..." Scarlett nodded, looking back over at Rowan.

"I don't know what you expect from me, Ian." Scarlett addressed him once more. "I have no forgiveness or sympathy in my heart for you. I don't need to, not for myself. If you are looking for it for yourself, you're out of luck..." she shrugged. "I feel nothing but indifference."

Ian nodded slightly. "You are not completely indifferent to the well-being of your sister, though, Katy Scarlett, at least I hope not. Family is very important to you," he said as he acknowledged the SUV pulling up behind them. "I can see that, as clearly as you saw I was ill..."

Scarlett felt Morgan and Garcia come to stand behind her. Derek shifted to align himself at the opposite side of Spencer, also holding his weapon in his hands.

"My family has always stood for me, Rowan. They are and always will be the most important people in my life. And that could never be broken by the likes of you..."

"And would that include Norie then, Scarlett?" he asked, waiting.

Scarlett pressed her lips together in a thin line. "I can't have a relationship with her as long as it would include you... I will not now or ever be associated with you again, Ian. You have no control over me. Not even through a sister..."

"And if I took myself out of the equation then, Kitten... would you stand by your blood?"

Scarlett hissed out a breath and jumped forward towards Rowan. Her control snapped slightly under rage.

"Don't you ever call me that again!" she screamed at him. Spencer grabbed her into his arms, holding her close. He felt her shaking against his chest. Casting a dark glare over at Rowan, he raised his weapon slightly.

"I think you've worn out your welcome here, Rowan. I'm not going to ask you to leave again..." he saw Morgan raise his gun also.

"Norie is in my car, down the street," Rowan stated. "I'll go back to the car... if you agree to talk to her. When I'm gone, I want to know that she at least knows who her blood is..." he told Scarlett as she turned her head to look at him once again.

"I am sick," he stated flatly. "I am dying. Pancreatic cancer... I don't have long left and that will be spent suffering, if that makes you any happier..."

"Your pain or suffering doesn't make me happy, Ian. You're absence from my life does..." Scarlett told him.

"Then you will have that, I promised. Sooner rather than later. I just ask you meet your sister... Not for me, or my soul or peace of mind, I wouldn't expect that and I know I don't deserve it, least of all from you," he managed to look ashamed at the last.

"I ask for Norie's sake, Katy. She'll have nobody once I'm gone. I may be a poor shell for her to be stuck beside right now, but she doesn't deserve to have to be put back in the system. Having a failure as a father isn't her fault..."

Scarlett listened to the sincerity in his voice. She could hear it as truth and sighed.

"I'll meet her, Ian," she told him.

Ian nodded, moving back towards his car. "I'll send her up here alone. I don't want her confused by the tension between us," he said, eying the weapons still pointed towards him.

"She knows I was incarcerated most of her life. She's never even asked why, so I'm not sure if she knows. She's a smart, but quiet child, Katy, stuck in her own thoughts. I won't ask you to not ever tell her how things were between the two of us... I couldn't expect that of you and I don't deserve it. But if you do, please tell her I wasn't always a monster, and that I loved her, enough to seek you out for her..."

He turned away, letting his back face her. "I have never touched her, Katy Scarlett. Not in any way, violent or otherwise. I only wish I could have changed the past for you. But I am grateful that you and your family would give her this chance," he stated as he walked off.

"I don't need you to change anything for me, Ian..." Katy told him. "My life has turned out quite well, as it is. I wouldn't change me..." was all she could manage to offer him as way of a resolution. It was enough, for her, that she was loved.

Scarlett saw Reid move to holster his gun behind his back before he turned to hold her. His arms wrapped around her and she folded into his embrace.

"Are you okay crazy girl?" he breathed in deeply rubbing his cheek against her hair.

"I'm fine, Spence," she looked up into his eyes. "Really fine," she smiled, pulling him down to meet her lips.

"It feels like it's over," she told him, turning to include her mother and the others in her gaze.

She looked up as a younger girl moved up the sidewalk towards her. Releasing Spencer, she went to meet her. Fran moved beside Scarlett.

"Norie?" Scarlett called her name softly as she held out a hand to her younger sister. "I'm Scarlett..."

"And I'm Fran, Scarlett's step-mother," Fran said as way of introduction.

"Hello," the little girl peered up at the two women and over at the others standing at the base of the stairs of an apartment building. She looked from them back into Scarlett's face.

"Dad said you are my half-sister... that you had a different mom?" she questioned, looking nervously back towards the car again. "I didn't know I had a sister... My mother never knew either, Dad said..." she shrugged slightly.

"I didn't know I had a sister either, Norie," Scarlett looked directly into her eyes. "If I had, I promised you I wouldn't have seen you go into foster care..."

Norie bit her lip and nodded, tears filling her eyes. Spencer felt his chest tighten at the sight. She looked like a child version of Scarlett standing there. When Scarlett waved them over, Morgan and Penelope moved with him for introductions.

"Noreen, this is my brother, Derek and my best friend Penelope..." she told her sister.

"And, this is Spencer Reid, my fiance," she pulled Reid closer to her side as the girl eyed him up. "I live with him here, this is our building..."

Norie looked over at Spencer and tilted her head. She clutched her bag in front of her and looked shyly up at him and Scarlett.

"Dad said I'll be living with you?" she asked them, a questioning look in her eyes.

Scarlett caught Reid's gaze quickly, concern filling her eyes.

"I understand your father is sick..." Scarlett told the girl, finding herself unable to claim Ian as her own. "Spence and I will do whatever necessary to make sure you don't end up in the system again..."

"None of us will, Norie," Fran added. "We are all a part of your family, now..."

"All of us," Derek agreed.

"But, I don't understand," Norie looked at Scarlett again. "Dad said I'd be staying with you from now on," she looked ready to cry. "I had to say good bye to my friends at home and everything..." she looked down at her bag. "He told me to take my stuff..."

Scarlett threw a quick look to Reid as she pulled Norie closer, covering the girl's head in her arms. When Spencer and Morgan both moved towards the car, she knew they were thinking the same thing she was...

The quick sound of a round firing echoed in the street. Scarlett saw the flash through the back window of the sedan and tightened her grip around the little girl. Her mother and Penny moved around them, blocking the child's view.

Scarlett swore bitterly as she watched Reid and her brother race over to the vehicle.

"Go," Fran nodded at her. "We've got Norie..." she said as she pulled the girl towards the apartment, murmuring softly to her.

Scarlett watched them lead her away for another moment before she headed towards the car.

"Coward," she ground out angrily as she moved towards the guys, already knowing there wasn't going to be anything for her to do.


	54. Chapter 54

Chapter 54

Spencer took Scarlett in his arms before she reached the car. He shielded her from the blood and gore that now filled the view much as she had initially shielded Noreen.

Scarlett accepted the shelter of his embrace, holding onto him tightly.

"I called the local PD," Morgan said as he came closer to them. "There's nothing we can do now, except wait on them..." he told Scarlett. "No sense of you filling your head with those images, baby girl," her brother rubbed her back when she lifted her eyes towards the car again.

"How could he do this to her?" Scarlett asked them. "How could her drop her off this way and leave her when she doesn't know us yet? He could have given her more time..."

"I don't know, Katy," Derek shook his head. "I don't know how or why he did anything he did in his life..."

"I'm sorry for the girl," Scarlett said, "But I don't know what he expected me to do with her like this..." she shook her head. "He told her she was staying with us?! I don't even know where to start..."

Spencer rested his chin on her head and Scarlett closed her eyes, listening to his heart beat under her ear.

"Don't worry about it crazy girl... We'll figure it out. All of us, together. You've got us here with you..."

She listened to his voice rumble in his chest as he spoke and it comforted her as much as the words did.

"I just can't..." she stopped talking as she noticed her voice tremble and took a deep breath. When it hitched on a sob, she felt Spencer pull her closer still. Derek moved to her back and sandwiched her into his hug also. She let herself cry in their arms.

When she heard the sounds of the police cruiser pull up, she wiped hastily at her face and gathered herself on some deep breaths.

The officer in uniform stopped briefly at the car before heading over to them.

"You three the witnesses?" he asked, looking at them. "Did you know the victim?" he watched Scarlett step forward and pulled out his notebook.

"The victim is my father," she stated on a shaky breath. "He dropped my younger sister off for visitation and committed suicide in his car instead of leaving," she said flatly.

The officer reached a hand over to her. "I'm sorry for your loss ma'am," he offered condolences. "My name is Officer Trace Dell. I'm going to have to ask you all some questions, if you are able to answer?" he stated in a calming voice.

Scarlett watched as a crime scene vehicle pulled up behind the Ian's car.

"I understand Officer Dell... I'm Agent Scarlett Ryan with the FBI, and this is my brother, SSA Morgan, and Dr. Reid. We were all standing here, with my mother, my other friend and co-worker SSA Garcia and my little sister Noreen Rowan. They are upstairs in my apartment, as we didn't want Norie to see this. I hope if you need to speak to her, you can do so up there..."

Dell nodded. "I'm sure we could do that... If you'd be more comfortable we could move inside now..." he told her, watching as Scarlett kept her eyes on the crime scene process.

He looked over at Morgan and Reid. Spencer was watching Scarlett's face closely and Derek was scanning the gathering crowd. After a few more minutes, Officer Dell touched Scarlett's arm and she jumped away.

"Agent Ryan?" he asked calmly. "Perhaps we should go inside..."

"No," Scarlett shook her head fiercely. "I want to see, I need to see," she shifted on her feet nervously.

Reid threw a look to Derek, noticing the slight change in Scarlett's voice. "Morgan," he warned him as Scarlett began to bounce on her toes.

"Katy..." Derek moved into her line of sight. "Look at me, Katy-bird..."

"No..." she darted a look over her shoulder. "No, no..." she side stepped Derek and spun around, racing down the street.

Spencer took off after her like a shot, leaving Morgan to explain to the officer. His priority was keeping Scarlett safe.

Reid sped up as Scarlett ran down the block and into a street blindly. He avoided the traffic quickly, following her behind some houses. When she jumped over a fence one handed, he lost sight of her and panicked. Pulling himself over the wall, he saw her move back towards the street and through an alley way. He quickly hopped another fence to cut her off.

Running towards where she'd back herself into a corner, Spencer grabbed her into a bear hug, stopping her blind flight.

Scarlett screamed, hitting him, fighting him off as if he were attacking her. Blindly kicking at him as he pinned her arms to her side, she tried to bite his arm when she slid down in his embrace.

"OW!" Spencer yelped as her teeth sunk into his flesh. He adjusted his grip, pulling his arm away from her face. He turned her, holding her head as he gripped her legs in his and slid to the ground, holding her.

"Scarlett... Scarlett!" he yelled at her as she struggled. "Look at me!" he shook her slightly, trying to free her from her mind.

"Look at me," he told her again, firmly. "Look around... where are you?" he asked.

"I've got to get home..." she cried in that baby voice that told him she was still away from him. "I've got to get to Mama," she cried.

"Scarlett," he breathed in her scent, holding her close. "I'll take you to your Mom, okay, but you've got to come back to me crazy girl... come back, please..."

Scarlett shook her head. "I can't... I have to run..." she struggled again in his arms, but Spencer kept her close.

"No, Scarlett, you never have to run again... he's gone. He's dead... Scarlett, he can't ever touch you again... there is nothing to run from anymore..."

Reid kissed her forehead, locking his legs around her waist so she couldn't move and took her face in his hands so she had to look into his eyes.

"He's dead Scarlett. Remember... But I am here, and I need you. I need you to stay with me," he begged her. "Don't let Ian take you from me, alright, crazy girl? We have a life that needs living... plans to work out, remember?"

Spencer kissed her gently, pulling her back from wherever her mind had taken her back to in the past. "You are here, with me Katy Scarlett. Nobody can ever touch you again, I swear it..." he watched her eyes change, become more focused as she began to shake in his arms.

"Spence!" she cried, holding on to him tightly. She sobbed pitifully against his chest, and he gathered her close, rocking her.

"It's okay, Katy... You're alright now, darling. I've got you..." he murmured against her hair. "I've got you, and I'm not letting go..."

"Oh, my God, Spencer..." she shook violently against him. "He's dead... he's really dead..." she cried. "I can't... I don't know what to think..."

"It's alright, beautiful..." he told her softly, continuing to rock her. "You don't have to think about it right now... We'll sort through it later, okay? Just let me take you home for right now?

Scarlett looked around the narrow alley way as if noticing it for the first time. She pressed her face into his shoulder.

"How did we get here?" she asked her voice muffled in his shirt.

"You went for a run, crazy girl," he told her gently. "Tried to go without me," he teased her lightly, drawing her up to a standing position. "But I told you, you wouldn't beat me today..."

"Oh," she shook her head and laughed on a sob. "Spencer Reid, you are almost as crazy as I am..."

Spencer leaned forward and kissed her, pulling her under his arm as they walked out of the alley.

"Normal is boring," he told her, squeezing her shoulder. "So why would we be normal?"

Scarlett chuckled and held onto his waist tightly, "Why would we?" she shook her head.

As they walked back the few blocks towards home, Scarlett remained mostly silent. When they turned the final corner and Scarlett saw the coroner loading a body bag into the back, she shivered.

"Spence?" she held onto him tightly. He wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm right here, Scarlett. You aren't going anywhere..."

Morgan came over to them. "You okay now, little one?" he asked, watching Scarlett's face. She nodded, leaning into Spencer as she shivered.

"I need to get her warm," Reid told Derek. "We have to get her inside..."

"I'll bring Dell up after he's finished here," Morgan told him. "He needs to get everyone's statements..." he told Reid.

"Right," Spencer tucked Scarlett under his arm once again, pulling her eyes from the scene. "C'mon crazy girl... let's go get your mom... and Norie, okay?"

Scarlett looked up at him and nodded. "I need Mama," she said quietly.

He pulled her chin up, looking into her eyes. "Scarlett?"

"It's okay, Spencer..." she nodded. "I'm okay... I'm here... I just really want Mama..."

"Okay," he sighed with relief and kissed her quickly. "Let go inside."


	55. Chapter 55

Chapter 55

Scarlett stood in the kitchen, leaning back against the counter with a mug of tea in her hand. She watched through the doorway as her mother sat beside Norie on the couch, talking to Officer Dell. Spencer stood across from her, watching her eyes. She raised them to meet his and shook her head.

"I just can't understand why he did this, Spence..." she stated quietly, so she wasn't overheard in the next room. "What did he expect me to do to fix this?" she asked.

"I don't know Scarlett," Reid shook his head. "I'm angry that he left it on you at all..." he muttered, pushing himself away from the counter to move to stand in front of her. "After all he put you through, for him to expect you to pick up the pieces of another's life too..." he shook his head. "I'm just angry. And you don't need that right now," he said, pulling her into his arms.

Scarlett set the mug down and returned his hug. "I think I do, just a little, Spence. I need to find my mad... It hasn't come yet, but it's there..."

Spencer sighed, kissing the crown of her head. "I've got enough for both of us right now, Katy," he told her. "We all do..." he said, looking over at the others at the table. "We are all here for you..."

He felt her tremble slightly in his arms and pulled his sweater tighter around her shoulders. She burrowed closer into his chest and breathed deeply.

Officer Dell stood up and walked over to the kitchen door. "Agent Ryan?" he spoke softly. "I'm done here... and I have your information, if I have any other questions, so I'm going to leave..." he offered his hand to Spencer. Reid shook it awkwardly while holding onto Scarlett with the other arm. Morgan stood and walked the man out of the apartment.

Scarlett watched her mother pat Norie's hand and look over to catch her gaze. Scarlett nodded and pulled back from Spencer's embrace. Looking up into his face, she touched his cheek lightly.

"I've got to talk to Noreen," she told him. Reid kissed her palm and took her hand in his.

"Together, Scarlett. I'm not leaving you..."

"I know," she smiled softly.

She went into the living room, taking a seat on the chair across from Norie and her mother. The young girl's eyes were red and swollen from crying but the worst of it had passed. She watched Scarlett closely, then her gaze swept to include Reid, who sat on the arm of the chair along side her.

"Norie," Scarlett began, leaning forward a little. "I am so sorry that this happened to you," she said quietly. "If I had any idea, I wouldn't have let your father go back to the car..."

The young girl sniffled a little, watching Scarlett warily. "I knew," she said, her bottom lip trembling. "I don't know how, but I knew... and I didn't stop him..." she met Scarlett's eyes again.

Scarlett closed her eyes a moment, gathering her thoughts. "Norie, you aren't responsible for this, for his actions... and neither am I..." she said in a stronger voice. "He'd made his own decisions..."

Noreen leaned forward, touching Scarlett's knee. "He didn't want me to have to take care of him, like I took care of my mother..." she stammered a bit and pulled back. Scarlett reached out and took her hand before she could pull away completely.

"Your mom died of cancer..." Scarlett acknowledged. "I saw some of your background... some reports... But I didn't know you took care of her Norie. I'm so sorry... you were only ten..." she felt the tears prick at her eyes, but didn't let them fall.

"I was all she had..." Norie squeezed her hand, looking into her eyes. Scarlett noticed then that the girl looked far older than her years.

"I wish I could have been there for you, little sister," Scarlett said with feeling. "All I can say is that you have me now..."

Norie nodded, shifting to pull her bag from the floor. "I have to show you some things," she said quietly as she unlatched the bag and pulled out a laptop and an envelope.

Scarlett raised an eyebrow as Norie handed her the large manila folder.

"I'm sorry I didn't give it to you sooner," she said in her quiet voice. "I didn't want to bring this out while the police where here..." she booted up her laptop and Penelope moved to stand behind her to watch. When code began to run across the screen Garcia's eyes widened a bit.

"How long have you been doing this?" she asked Norie.

"For awhile," the girl shrugged, looking up at her. "I'm not in trouble, am I?" she asked.

Spencer looked at the disbelief on Garcia's face and moved to stand beside her.

"No," Penny stated, looking at Scarlett. "She's hacked your files..." her eyes wide.

"Oh," Scarlett now stood to look over Norie's shoulder. "Oh, boy," she breathed out as her life story flashed across the data, including the police and hospital reports she'd had to file as a child.

"You shouldn't have been able to get into these," Scarlett sat down next to Norie. She set an arm across the girl's shoulders. "But I'm not mad and you're not in trouble..." she told her and felt her relax.

"I'm sorry, but when Dad told me I had a sister, I wanted to know as much as I could about you..." she told Scarlett. "This seemed like the easiest way..."

"Well, I'll say you were thorough," Scarlett looked back at Penelope. "And an excellent hacker, judging from the look from Penny's face..." she added with a slight grin. She could tell Garcia was quite impressed.

Scarlett saw Spencer glance at the computer screen and his face lit in a rage. She looked back and saw the hospital photos for the police report from her last encounter with Rowan settled on the screen.

"No," she shook her head and slammed the screen shut. "NO," she said again, loudly as Reid turned and stalked into the bedroom. She touched her mother's shoulder as she stood.

"Stay with Norie... I've got to go to Spencer," she told her and followed Reid into the bedroom.

Fran watched her daughter go and turned to Norie. "I know you have questions, little one... But it's her story to tell, when she can..."

Norie just nodded and opened her computer up again. Looking at the pictures on the screen, she saw the images of a younger Scarlett, looking so much like herself, beaten and abused. Penelope reached over and cleared the screen.

"That's not going to help, sweetie," she told the young girl. "Don't burn those images into your mind..."

Norie shrugged slightly. "They already are," she confessed. "I have an eidetic memory," she told the women. "Anything I see or read, I remember..." she explained.

"Oh, boy..." Garcia met Fran's eyes over the girl's head. "Oh... boy..." she repeated.

When Noreen looked from Penelope to Fran, she looked confused. Fran patted her shoulder.

"It's just another thing you and your sister have in common, Norie," she explained. "Scarlett has an eidetic memory too," she told her. "So does Dr. Reid... so you aren't alone in that, either..."

Norie looked towards where the bedroom door was now closed. "I'm sorry he saw that, then," she stated.

"I know baby girl..." Frannie pulled her into a hug. "Scarlett will take care of it... he loves her and it upset him... it'll be alright," she offered.


	56. Chapter 56

Chapter 56

Scarlett didn't feel like it would be alright at the moment. She sat in the middle of the bed as she watched Spencer pace the bedroom, clenching his hands into fists and releasing them in frustration.

"Spence," she called him softly. "I didn't want you to see that..." she told him. "There's nothing you can do about the past, farm boy..."

Reid stopped stalking and moved to kneel before her at the bedside. Scarlett scooted to the edge and gathered him close as he pulled her to him.

"I wish I'd shot him... I wish I'd killed him, Scarlett, from the second he stepped up to you this morning... and I wish he didn't kill himself, so he could have suffered horribly right until the end..." he ground out.

Scarlett ran her hands through his hair and down his back. She kissed his forehead and nudged him back just a bit to look into his eyes.

"I know, lover. I understand..." she brushed his hair back behind his ear and smiled softly. "And I want you to let that go..." she watched his eyes narrow darkly.

"For me, sweet boy. For us, please. What's done is done... holding on to anger isn't going to help anything now. It'll just poison us. So we are going to let it go and move on from here, together. Alright?"

Scarlett took his hand and opened his fist, placing his palm over her heart. She lay her hand across his and pressed her palm against his heart also. Spencer took his free hand and lay it over the back of hers. He felt the rhythm of her heart beating strong and steady under his hand and sighed.

She closed her eyes as he leaned forward and lay her cheek on his head.

"You are my heart, Spencer. The past is done... my heart is in the present..." she told him, kissing his hair.

Spencer breathed in deeply, letting the anger drain out of him. Scarlett's scent surrounded him and he let it steady his emotions.

"Scarlett..." he raised his face to look into hers. "I can't help but wish it had been different... the past..." he moved his hands to frame her face. "I can't change anything, but I can't help but wish I could..."

Scarlett sighed, looking into his eyes. "Spence... I'm glad you are here now. I don't want to change anything from the past. Because changing one small detail may have changed who I am right now, where I am at this moment... and I wouldn't change one second of all my yesterdays if it meant having to lose even just one today..." she explained.

"So I understand your feelings, farm boy... but I want you to know and believe that I'm finding my peace with it, Spencer. Truly..."

Reid pulled her into his kiss, unable to find the words to express what he was feeling. Instead, he gently took her lips, pouring his love into it.

Scarlett trembled slightly under the intensity. When he traced the sides of her jaw with his thumbs, she sighed, letting his mouth ravish hers.

Spencer tasted her breath on the sigh and drew her air into his lungs. Pressing forward, he leaned over her, taking more from her, like a man dying of thirst.

At her soft moan, he pulled back a bit, breathing hard.

"Scarlett..." she heard the soft growl in his chest and moved back from his embrace.

"I know, boy..." she pressed a hand to his chest. "Not the time right now..."

He blew out a heavy breath of frustration through his nose. "No... I know..." he pulled himself back from the bed a little, pulling her by the hand.

"We have other things to take care of right now..." she ran her hand down his chest, tugging his shirt slightly until he bent forward to meet her lips. "Later, you are mine," she told him with an impish grin, kissing him quickly once again before he straightened up. A smile crossed his face.

"I'm going to keep you to that promise," he told her, following her out of the bedroom, back to where the others waited. For now, decisions that affected a young girl's life had to take priority.

Spencer crossed over to the chair tugging Scarlett down to sit close beside him. He linked his arm around her waist as she crossed her legs over his knees and leaned forward to pick up the envelope she'd discarded. Her name was scrawled across the front.

"Dad told me to give that to you," Norie said as she watched the couple closely. "He said if anything happened to him, you needed those papers... and you'd know what to do..." she told Scarlett as she leaned into Frannie's hug.

Scarlett nodded, pulling out the paperwork. She handed the pages to Spencer to scan. He read through them within seconds and handed them back to Scarlett.

"It's his will," he told them, keeping his eyes on Scarlett. "It gives you the right to do whatever you think best for his interests and full custody of Norie," he told her, throwing a glance over at the little girl.

"He, ah, also included a detailed letter for each of you. Apologizing for leaving you both this way, and asking you to understand why he did," Spencer ran a hand down Scarlett's back lightly. "You both should read them for yourselves..." he said, looking into Scarlett's eyes. "Whenever you feel the time is right..." he told her directly.

"He asked you to take care of final arrangements however you see fit, keeping Norie in mind," he told her softly. "He asked you for kindness he knows he doesn't deserve..." Spencer whispered so she'd only hear.

Scarlett nodded and took a deep breath. "I'll take care of it," she returned his gaze and squeezed his hand tightly.

"Norie... Don't worry. I'm not a cruel person, I swear..." she watched the girl's eyes fill with tears.

"I'm so sorry I looked into your files," the little girl stated on a sob. "I can't believe my dad was responsible for any of that, but I know... I know in my heart it's true," she cried.

"Hey, hey..." Scarlett moved off of Reid's lap and went to kneel before Norie. "It's okay little one... It doesn't touch you..." she pulled the girl into her arms and hugged her.

"He tried to tell me he had changed... that he wanted you to know he wasn't a monster..." Scarlett told her. "I can see by your grief that he was not lying, baby girl, and I am grateful to him for that. For whatever changed him, what ever made him a good father to you, that at least I am grateful for, understand?"

She shifted back to meet her sister's eyes.

"My past is mine, my demons to bear... they are not yours and I won't hold you or who he became accountable for them. You and I will work together and give him a final goodbye, based on your memories, if that's okay with you?" she asked.

Norie nodded. "Thank you for that," she returned Scarlett's hug. She looked over at Fran. "He told me you were a good mother... and that you helped Scarlett when he didn't..." she told her. "He never talked about his past to me... I found out on my own and never asked him about it... but he told me that..."

Frannie nodded in acknowledgment, setting a hand on Scarlett's shoulder. "Katy was my best friend's daughter," she explained to Norie. "When her mother passed away, she became mine as closely as any blood could have ever tied us. I can't forgive or forget what Ian Rowan was, but I can accept that he changed, and like Scarlett, be grateful for that.." her fingers squeezed Scarlett's shoulder.

Scarlett exhaled a tight breath. "Okay... I guess the first thing we need to discuss is sleeping arrangements..." she looked over her shoulder at Spencer.

"I can sleep on the couch," Frannie stated. "Norie can take the guest room..."

Noreen looked from Scarlett to Fran. "I don't want you to have to do that..." she exclaimed. "I..."

"No, I don't want to hear any arguments," Frannie looked at Norie. "This is my 'no argument' face, little one," she added with a slight smile. "Get used to seeing it..."

"And dealing with it," Scarlett laughed as she leaned over and kissed her mother's cheek. "You'll never win against it," she teased, standing and moving to sit across Spencer's lap once again. Reid wrapped his arms around her waist and tugged her up against his chest.

He looked over at Norie. "Your father left Scarlett the paperwork necessary to take over for your care, Noreen," he addressed the little girl in his soft voice. "I hope you understand that means this is your home now, for as long as you want it to be..."

Reid felt Scarlett sigh and shift against him as she took his hand and pressed three fingers into his palm. They hadn't even discussed that part in this, yet he'd already known what she'd been thinking.

"I..." Norie stammered slightly, looking around the room at each of the people who were virtually strangers to her. "I don't know what I want..." she answered honestly. "I miss my friends in Chicago," she said, her voice cracking under grief. "But I don't want to go back into foster care," she cried.

Fran gathered the girl close once again.

"Nothing has to be decided right at this moment Noreen," she told the girl. "I live in Chicago... that's where Scarlett and Derek were raised... But I am visiting here for now, and maybe you'll decide to visit with me for awhile too," she offered, looking to Scarlett for confirmation.

"If that's what Norie decides, we'll work it out," Spencer offered when Scarlett's breath hitched on a sob. He ran his hand down her back, comforting her. He knew it meant a lot to her that Fran had made that offer.

"Okay," Fran stood, pulling Norie up from the couch. "For now, baby girl, why don't I show you the bedroom and you can get settled a little..." she ran a hand down the girl's hair. "You look like you may want a nap..."

Norie grasped Fran's hand. "Will you stay with me? Please," she asked, a little embarrassed. "I have nightmares sometimes..."

Fran looked over at Scarlett. "Of course I will," she told Norie. "I happen to have experience with keeping bad dreams away..." she said turning the girl towards the guest room. She smiled as Scarlett blew her a kiss.

Derek moved further into the room taking a seat next to Penelope after his mother had left.

"I hate to play devil's advocate here," he told Scarlett and Reid. "But what exactly do you two think about raising a twelve year old girl?" he asked. "What about when we are called away with the job?"

"I don't know, D..." Scarlett shrugged, leaning into Spencer. "I haven't thought that far ahead yet..."

Reid shifted, tucking Scarlett against his chest. "We don't need to worry about that right now..." he told her. "One day at a time..."

Derek rolled his eyes, and received a hard glare from Penelope.

"Let's take a walk," she took Morgan's hand and pulled him off the couch. "Katy and Reid need some time to talk, Derek," she explained to him as he scowled a bit. "We'll be back in a little while," she told them as he followed her out the door.

Scarlett watched her brother and Penelope leave the apartment. She turned in Spencer's lap to face him.

"I don't know what to do Spence," she said softly. "I know in some part, Derek is right, but I can't imagine leaving that little girl down..." she stated. "And a very big part of me wants to keep her around so I can get to know her..."

"I understand, Katy," he murmured. "We'll work it out..." he tucked his fingers under her chin, drawing her eyes to his. "It'll be okay, you'll see."

Scarlett leaned forward and kissed him. "Why can you make me believe that?" she asked him. "When you tell me it will be alright, I believe it..."

Spencer nipped her jawline and her neck. "Scarlett, if I had to move heaven and earth to make everything alright for you, I would, I swear it..."

"I don't need that, farm boy. All I'll ever need is for you to be beside me and for you to love me..." she whispered, against his ear.

Spencer pulled back slightly, looking in her eyes. "You have that Scarlett, for all time..."

~Fin~

* * *

><p><em>Dear Readers, <em>

_My continued thanks to all of you for your reviews and support in the 'Scarlett' Series. Please look for the upcoming fourth installment "Loving Scarlett" which is currently being written. As you all know, the process of writing the next installment may take me awhile, depending on my health with dealing with Lupus and the dreaded writers block that I'm hitting right at this moment! _

_As always I hope you've enjoyed the storylines and if you have any comments or suggestions, please leave reviews, PM me or find me on Twitter LadyBJKD _

_Blessed Be! ~Becky_


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